Main Heart Disease Seen in Children

Congenital Heart Disease is a common heart disease includes abnormalities in Cardiovascular vascular structure. Congenital Heart Diseases are defects forming in the heart while the foetus is developing.

We can see the symptoms of these defects from birth or childhood itself. Some of the defects won't be showing any symptoms.

What causes Congenital Heart Disease?

The causes of Congenital Heart Diseases is unknown, but there are some common factors that may cause these Diseases.

• Genetic or Chromosomal Abnormalities that is Down Syndrome
• Having certain medications or drugs or alcohol during pregnancy
• Maternal viral infection in first trimester can lead to congenital heart defects.

It can also cause by hereditary or if the parent have congenital heart disease then the risk of having the disease in child will be double.

What are the types of Congenital Heart Diseases?

Common types of Congenital Heart Diseases are,

Heart Valve Defects: These defects will narrow the heart value and completely stops the forward flow of blood. Other defects are leakage in valves, this is because the valves will not close completely and allow blood to flow backward.

Defects in the walls between atria and ventricles of Heart: Holes or passageways will form in the walls and it causes the mixing of oxygenated and de-oxygenated blood between right and left sides of heart.
Heart Muscle Defects or Abnormalities which can cause Heart Failure.

What are the Symptoms of Congenital Heart Disease in Adults?

Symptoms of Congenital Heart Diseases will be seen from birth, right after birth, in childhood or until adulthood. May be it won't show any symptoms. Common symptoms in adults are,

• Shortness of breath
• Limited ability to exercise

How is Congenital Heart Disease diagnosed?

Initially the doctor will check the patient, if the doctor hears an abnormal heart beat or heart murmur from the patient, then the doctor will recommend some test for confirming the disease. Depending on the sound of heart beat, the test will differ.

Common tests for diagnosing Congenital Heart Disease are,

• Echo-cardiogram
• Chest X-ray
• Electrocardiogram
• Cardiac Catheterising
• MRI

How is Congenital Heart Disease treated?

Congenital Heart Disease can be severe or mild. According to the severety, the treatment method may change. Mild condition may not need any treatment. Other conditions may need medications, surgery etc. The patients with these disease need life long monitoring and regular check ups with the Doctor.

Congenital Heart Disease in Children

There are several types of congenital heart diseases that are detected and treated early in infancy. These are abnormal connections between the heart blood vessels. Oxygenated blood will flow to lungs instead of flowing to the body parts and de-oxygenated blood will flow to body parts instead of flowing to lungs. This may lead to heart failure.

Some of the congenital heart diseases that affect infants are,

• Patent ductus arteriosus
• Tetralogy of Fallot
• Transposition of the great vessels
• Coarctation of the aorta
• Heart valve problems

Symptoms of Congenital Heart Disease in Infants & Children

• A Bluish tint to skin, fingers & lips
• Fast breathing & poor feeding
• Recurrent lung infections
• Inability to exercise
• Poor weight gain

How are Congenital Heart Defects in Children is treated?

Some of the congenital heart defects needs surgery and other need interventional treatments to repair the problem. The children may need medications for improving the functionality of  their heart. The treatment must be availed from expert cardiologist who is specialised in Congenital Heart Disease treatment.

Dr. Kuldeep Chulliparambil, best heart surgeon in Kerala offers effective treatment for all cardiac issues in children with well advanced technologies.Dr Kuldeep Kumar Chulliparambil is well renowned as one of the top cardiac surgeons in Cochin, Ernakulam, Kerala, India with an experience of more than 20 years in offering cardiac treatment.

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Mail us: heartsurgeonindia@gmail.com

New Hope for Heart Failure Condition!

Heart Failure is also called as Congestive Heart Failure and is becoming very common now a days. In this condition, heart muscle will not pump adequate blood to all parts of our body. The left and right ventricles of our heart or the main chambers of heart will become stiff and fill only less amount of blood in between each heart beat and leads to weakening of heart muscle.

Heart problems can be acute or chronic. These are affecting most of the people because of the changes in lifestyle, worst food habits like fast food, soft drinks etc. An healthy diet will always avoid the chance of Heart Failure. Exercise, having less salt, cholesterol free food, avoiding all fast foods etc can give us a healthy life.

How Heart Failure Treated?

Multiple options are there for the treatment for Heart Failure. Initial step in the treatment will be medication and change of routine habits by monitoring all the aspects which can affect heart problems. If the condition is critical then surgical methods will be adopted by the concerned centre or hospitals.

What Surgical procedures are used for treating Heart Failure Condition?

Surgical procedures are opted for preventing further damage to the heart and to improving the functions of the heart. The surgical options include

• Bypass Surgery
• Heart Pacemaker Surgery
• LVAD
• Heart Valve Surgery
• ECMO
• HeartTransplant

Bypass Surgery

Bypass surgery is very common surgery done when someone have a Heart Attack because of Blocks. These blocks will be in coronary arteries and the doctor will surgically remove the blocks by giving the blood a new path way to heart.

Heart Pacemaker Surgery 

 

Heart has its own pacemaker for maintaining a specific beat rate. Sometimes these pacemaker may don't work and causes a less beat rate. This will lead to Heart Failure condition, so an artificial pacemaker will be placed to support the heart to beat in a normal rate. The artificial pacemaker will send electrical impulses to heart muscle for beating in regular basis. This surgery is done for syncope, congestive heart failure condition etc.

Heart Valve Surgery

When a Heart Failure condition arises, the valves of the heart which helps the forward flow of blood in the heart will not close completely, this will allow the blood to flow backwards. For this condition, the heart valve can be repaired or replaced with the surgery.

ECMO or Extra-corporeal Membrane Oxygenation

ECMO is a heart – lung bypass machine which pumps and oxygenates blood for the whole body. It is widely used for cardiopulmonary support for patients recovering from Heart – Lung failure. Also used in Heart Surgeries by bypassing the functions of heart and lung to ECMO.

LVADor Left Ventricular Assist Device

 

 

LVAD implant is done for patients with irreversible left heart failure condition, high mortality rate if intervened immediately, the patients who are waiting for transplants. This LVAD will help damaged heart to pump oxygenated blood from left ventricle to aorta to whole body parts. The device is a battery operated mechanical pump and will also help to improve the functioning of kidney, liver and brain.

Heart Transplant

Heart Transplant is recommended for a patient when his heart is not responding to any other treatments or therapies. This is opted as the last option in the Heart Failure Treatment.

How Can I Prevent Further Heart Damage?

There are several routine habits which caused the Heart Failure condition, so stop all those habits for a better life after a Heart Failure. Only the patient himself can do this for avoiding future complications. Some common habits which should be avoided are,

• Smoking or Chewing Tobacco
• Check with the weight, avoid being obese
• Control high blood pressure, avoid salt
• Control cholesterol levels, avoid fatty food items
• Control diabetes levels, avoid sugar items
• Avoid alcohol drinks

How Can I Improve My Quality of Life?

Eat a Healthy Diet: Avoid eating fast food, having soft drinks, having oily and salty food items. Eat food items having high fibre and potassium, eat more vegetables. Control total daily intake of food and reduce weight.

Exercise regularly: Your doctor will be prescribing a cardiovascular exercise program to be followed and this will make you feel better and will give you a good healthy life.

Don't overdo it: Plan your work for a day. Don't over do any works or over exercise.

Take medications as prescribed: Don't stop the medication unless doctor insist to stops it. Continuing the medications can reduce the risk of heart failure in future.

Dr. Kuldeep Chulliparambil, best heart surgeon in Kerala offers effective treatment for all cardiac issues with well advanced technologies. Dr Kuldeep Kumar Chulliparambil is well renowned as one of the top cardiac surgeons in Cochin, Ernakulam, Kerala, India with an experience of more than 20 years in offering cardiac treatment

heartsurgeonindia.com

Mail us: heartsurgeonindia@gmail.com