Question 1

What does a congenital heart disease mean?

Accepted Answer

Congenital heart disease, also known as a congenital heart defect, is an abnormality within the heart’s structure and a person is usually born with it. This is a common birth defect that changes the way blood flows through the heart. Many types of CHD take place in newborn infants. Some of them include ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, Tetralogy of Fallot, coarctation of the aorta, and pulmonary (valvular) stenosis. Most of the paediatric doctors practice cardiology to diagnose and treat CHD.

Question 2

Is there a cure for CHD?

Accepted Answer

Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) has no cure. Some people go through multiple surgeries, but their heart is not completely cured. There may be long-term side effects after heart surgery, one of the major ones being abnormal heartbeats. It's recommended that you visit a cardiologist, as they can detect your heart problems before you notice any symptoms.

Question 3

Is congenital heart disease genetic?

Accepted Answer

The defect can be genetic. When the heart, or blood vessels near the heart, do not develop fully before birth that’s when the heart defect takes place. Some congenital heart defects result from drug or alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

Question 4

What foods to avoid if you have congenital heart disease?

Accepted Answer

Here are some of the major adjustments you can make to your daily diet if you have congenital heart disease:

Eat loads of fruits and vegetables, also keep your sodium intake low
Opt for lean meats, fish, organic foods, poultry, dairy, and complex carbohydrates.
Avoid using salt, and if you want to add flavour then you can go for sodium-free herbs
If you find it hard to cut out sodium completely, then you can reduce it to a significant amount. Get creative and cook in onion, garlic, and citric juices as they will add a load of flavour to your dishes
Be vary of condiments like ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard. Always check the ingredient list before purchasing these products
Avoid eating junk food

Question 5

Can you prevent congenital heart disease?

Accepted Answer

Are you planning on having a baby soon? It's important to know the prevention measures that should be taken before the birth of your child. During your pregnancy, avoid drinking alcohol or taking any medication without consulting your doctor. You will have to take 400 micrograms of folic acid supplements during the first trimester of the pregnancy. By taking your supplements you are reducing the risk of your baby being born with congenital heart disease or other birth defects.

Question 6

What are the early signs of congestive heart failure?

Accepted Answer

Here are the early signs of congestive heart failu

Shortness of breath when you lie down o Mediar exert yourself
Weakness and lethargy
Swollen ankles, legs, and feet
Irregular heartbeat
The inability to exercise
Persistent cough and wheezing, with blood-tinged phlegm
Frequent urinating at night
Rapid weight due to fluid retention
Nausea and no appetite
Difficulty focusing
Chest pain

You must see a doctor immediately if you are experiencing the following:

Chest pain
Severe weakness
Irregular heartbeat with fainting and chest pain
Coughing up pink and foamy mucus

Question 7

When should you suspect that your child could have heart disease?

Accepted Answer

When the child displays rapid and distressed breathing, blue discolouration of the nails, lips or tongue, feeding difficulty including not sucking well and breathlessness, recurring cough with fever and/or chest infection. When the child is showing inadequate weight gain, and her physical milestones are not in keeping with her age.

Question 8

What is the health impact of congenital heart defects?

Accepted Answer

CHDs are the most common cause of death among infants with birth defects. Approximately 25% of children born with CHD will need heart surgery or other interventions to survive. Having said that, today, over 85% of babies born with a CHD now live to at least age 18. People with CHDs face a life-long risk of health problems such as issues with growth and eating, developmental delays, difficulty with exercise, heart rhythm problems, heart failure, sudden cardiac arrest or stroke.

Question 9

As an adult having a congenital heart defect, do I need to do regular follow-ups with my doctor?

Accepted Answer

Adults who have had heart surgery as a child must visit a doctor regularly for life. If you experience your heart racing, extra heartbeats, trouble keeping up with usual exercise routines or feel easily exhausted, you would do well to consult a specialist.

Question 10

What is congenital heart disease?

Accepted Answer

This refers to heart disease that has been present since birth. It may be diagnosed later in life.

Question 11

Can congenital heart disease be cured?

Accepted Answer

Yes, many congenital heart diseases can be cured. Diseases like Atrial septal defect (ASD), ventricular septal defect (VSD), and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) can be cured by surgical or device closure. Even cyanotic heart diseases like Tetralogy of Fallot can be treated surgically.

Question 12

How serious is congenital heart disease?

Accepted Answer

Congenital disease has a wide spectrum, and the outcome varies. Some of them are very severe, and the baby may die inside the mother's womb. Some require immediate intervention immediately after birth. If prompt action is not taken, they succumb. Some like Atrial septal defect (ASD), ventricular septal defect (VSD), and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) have very good outcomes if timely intervened either by surgical closure or device closure.

Question 13

Can we have a normal life with congenital heart disease?

Accepted Answer

Yes, patients with diseases like ASD, VSD, and PDA can have a normal life after their closure. Some patients with diseases like patent foramen ovale (PFO), very small ASD, and mitral valve prolapse can have normal life, the disease may not be diagnosed till late age and may not require any treatment. But some diseases cannot be cured completely and require regular medical surveillance. Compliance with medicine, lifestyle modification as advised and regular follow-up is very important.

Question 14

What are the signs and symptoms of congenital heart disease?

Accepted Answer

Signs and symptoms of congenital heart disease vary. Patients may have recurrent chest infections (pneumonia), fatigue, growth retardation, breathing difficulty, and palpitations. A child with cyanotic congenital heart disease is blue. Physical features of specific syndromes like Down syndrome, Turner syndrome, etc may be a clue to underlying congenital heart disease

Question 15

What are the causes and risk factors for congenital heart disease?

Accepted Answer

Congenital heart disease may be due to maternal diabetes, maternal rubella infection, chronic maternal alcohol use, or the ingestion of certain drugs by the mother during pregnancy (like thalidomide, isotretinoin, valproate, etc). Congenital heart disease may have a genetic basis. Some of them are associated with specific syndromes like Down syndrome, Turner syndrome, etc.

Question 16

Do congenital heart defects run in families?

Accepted Answer

Some of the congenital heart diseases may be familial. Family studies indicate a two-fold to ten-fold increase in the incidence of CHD in siblings of affected patients or in the offspring of an affected parent.

Question 17

Is there a diet to ward off the risk of congenital heart diseases?

Accepted Answer

Living with congenital heart disease is not an easy task that you can google and finish. In case you have a family history of congenital heart disease, then it's for your betterment to follow these dietary restrictions.

Eat vegetables and fruits
Drink non-fat or low-fat milk
Encourage eating home-made food
Deplete the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages
Eat whole grain
Avoid eating refined-grain bread and cereals
Reduce the intake of salt or sodium

Question 18

Can yoga help in precluding congenital heart disease causes?

Accepted Answer

The 21st century is an era when age is no longer a factor for developing heart disease. People in their 20s are facing the agonies of different types of congenital heart diseases. Yes, there is an option for precluding congenital heart disease causes, and that is Yoga. Below we've outlined eight Yoga poses for a healthy heart.

Tree pose (Vrikshasana)
Mountain pose (Tadasana)
Chair pose (Utkatasana)
Extended hands and feet pose (Utthita Hastapadasana)
Triangle pose (Trikonasana)
Warrior pose (Veerabhadrasana)
Cat pose (Marjariasana)
Downward-facing dog pose (Adho Mukho Svanasana)

Question 19

Can cyanotic congenital heart disease patients meditate?

Accepted Answer

The medical treatment is not potent enough to elininate cyanotic congenital heart disease. Along with medications, patients should follow a strict diet plan, practice yoga, and meditate for complete disease remission. By meditating for 30 minutes, you can maintain heart health in the following ways.

Keep your blood pressure under check
Deplete your bad cholesterol levels
Improve blood circulation
Boost immunity
Increase lung capacity

Dealing with congenital heart disease can make you very anxious. Meditation gives you relief from stress. Remember, your mental health is also vital for preventing the risk of problems like TGA heart (d-TGA).