Congenital heart disease and defects, Clinics & Costs in Turkey

What is congenital heart disease?

Congenital heart disease refers to a heart defect that is present from birth. The acuity of this disease differs from one individual to another: from a very minor disease (mild or moderate) that cannot cause disorders, to a very serious disease that requires treatment. Congenital heart disease occurs when the cavities, walls, or valves of the heart do not usually evolve before birth.

For adults, congenital heart disease usually occurs in one of two forms:

• An abnormality that does not present any symptoms at first, but is related to later symptoms.
• A complex deformation, that is treated in childhood and requires additional intervention or treatments in adulthood. Individuals who have performed surgery to restore birth defects during childhood may have complications later in life. Therefore, they are strongly indicated for regular monitoring and cardiac care throughout their lives.

Sometimes, symptoms or complications related to congenital heart disease appear for the first time in adulthood, but usually, heart defects are discovered in the baby or during childhood.

Types of congenital heart defects

Some of the common types of congenital heart defects include:

1. Atrial Septal Defect (ASD): This is when there is a hole between the two upper chambers of the heart, known as the atria. It can lead to abnormal blood flow and cause symptoms like fatigue and shortness of breath.
2. Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD): In this condition, there is a hole between the two lower chambers of the heart, called the ventricles. It can affect blood flow and may result in symptoms such as poor weight gain and rapid breathing.
3. Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA): PDA occurs when the temporary blood vessel connecting the aorta and pulmonary artery fails to close after birth. It can cause breathing difficulties and increase the risk of infections.
4. Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF): TOF is a complex CHD that involves multiple heart defects, including a ventricular septal defect, a narrowed pulmonary valve, an overriding aorta, and a thickened right ventricle wall. Children with TOF may experience cyanosis (bluish skin) and have difficulty with physical activity.

Symptoms of congenital heart disease

The symptoms of congenital heart disease vary depending on the specific type and severity of the condition. Some common symptoms include:

General symptoms of heart defect

• Increased body fatigue
• Anorexia
• Significant and rapid weight gain or loss
• Severe nausea or vomiting
• Changes in droppings (diarrhea, constipation)
• Anxiety
• Strong heartbeat (abnormal heart rate)
• Swollen blood vessels in the neck

During physical activity, individuals with a heart defect may experience increased difficulty performing a usual exercise, decreased physical strength, dizziness or fainting, and pain thoracic.

During rest, patients with congenital heart disease experience dizziness or fainting and chest pain. They also have pale or bluish skin as well as respiratory problems.

Alarming symptoms 

Some symptoms require urgent medical attention. If you have any of the following symptoms, do not wait to go to the hospital emergency room:

• Difficulty breathing (wheezing or agonizing breathing).
• Unexpected crises
• Persistent dizziness and tiredness.
• Irregular or rapid heart rate (palpitations).
• Chest pain.
• Swollen skin due to water retention.
• Lack of urination (a sign of dehydration, poor heart function, or decreased kidney function).
• Signs and symptoms of stroke (numbness, weakness, difficulty speaking, lack of coordination).
• Uncontrolled bleeding (for example, constant nosebleeds).
• Persistent heartburn or shoulder pain.
• Changes in excitation levels (confusion, extreme weakness, or unconsciousness). Changes in heart health can be subtle or obvious.

Please note that all the symptoms listed below do not mean that you have heart problems, but if these symptoms persist, you should contact a cardiologist.

Medications treatment of congenital malformations

For some mild heart conditions, medicines may be used to help the heart work better. Prescribed medicines are designed to slow the heart rate and relax the blood vessels (calcium channel blockers).

Not all of these medicines work for all congenital heart defects. Medications used to treat certain conditions may make other forms of congenital heart disease worse. Many patients with congenital heart disease are at risk for life-threatening heart infections, especially endocarditis, even after their abnormalities have been repaired. In some cases, these patients may need to take antibiotics before undergoing dental or surgical procedures to reduce this risk.

Surgical treatment of congenital malformations

Several cases of congenital heart disease diagnosed as adults require surgical treatment.

In many cases, surgery can be performed via a catheter. It is a tube inserted into a blood vessel to reach the heart. Indeed, these catheterization techniques are used to restore septal deformities and certain valve abnormalities aimed at enlarging blood vessels or valves.

The use of catheters also allows small modifications to the repairs made during childhood.

In rare cases, patients with life-threatening heart disease may benefit from a heart transplant or heart-lung transplant. However, these operations are only suitable for patients whose physical condition allows for heavy surgery.

An open-heart operation is performed in case of valve replacement or repair of some difficult congenital malformations.

You may consider congenital heart disease treatment at a reasonable price in the best clinics in Istanbul, Turkey.