Congenital heart disease, or congenital heart defect, refers to an abnormality present in an individual at birth. It can affect the heart’s walls, valves and blood vessels.

Congenital heart defects, can range from mild cases with no symptoms to complex ones that can be life-threatening.

Common heart conditions that can occur simultaneously with these defects include blockage of blood flow from the right ventricle to the aorta or variations in the coronary arteries.

Treatments and follow-up care for adult congenital heart disease have improved significantly over the past few decades with advances in medicine. Now, nearly all children who are born with heart defects survive into adulthood. However, some might need continuous care throughout their lives. The important thing to note is that many live active and productive lives despite their condition.

Types of Congenital Heart Disease Treated at Narayana Health

The main types of congenital heart disease, which mostly consists of structural issues, are as follows:

Heart Valve Defects

In heart valve defects, the valves that direct blood flow in and out of the heart close or begin to leak. This condition interferes with the heart’s ability to pump blood correctly. Heart valve defects may manifest as:

Stenosis, which is the narrowing of the valve.

Atresia, which is the complete absence or improper formation of a valve.

Regurgitation, which refers to leakage caused by inadequate closure of the valve.

Some common signs of this congenital heart problem include fatigue, swollen ankles, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat and chest pain. These symptoms worsen when the body experiences physical exertion. While maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly, within recommended limits, can help manage this condition, it is important to be regularly monitored by a cardiologist. Early intervention can prevent serious complications.

Heart Wall Defects

Here, the walls or partitions between the upper and lower chambers or the left and right sides of the heart do not develop correctly. This results in blood leaking in between different chambers or pools in the wrong parts of the heart. This leads to the heart having to work harder, which eventually affects its overall ability to function. Such defects are commonly referred to as atrial or ventricular septal defects, depending on which heart wall is affected.

Common symptoms of this condition include frequent lung infections, fatigue and heart palpitations. If the doctor detects a murmur in the heart, it is considered a clear sign of adult congenital heart disease. Along with monitoring the heart functions through echocardiograms, you must try to follow a healthy diet and adopt healthier lifestyle habits, such as quitting smoking and managing stress.

Heart Blood Vessel Defects

In heart blood vessel defects, the blood vessels that carry blood to the heart and back to the body do not function as they should. This can cause blood flow to decline or even get blocked, leading to numerous complications. Such a congenital heart defect in adults could be linked to maternal health issues, genetic factors or environmental exposure during pregnancy. If the congenital heart problem has not been detected or treated till the individual reaches adulthood, the symptoms generally include high blood pressure, severe headaches, weakened muscles, cramps and poor growth. Turner Syndrome is also associated with this defect.

Heart Muscle Problems (Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy)

In this condition, the heart muscle, especially the left ventricle can become abnormally thick (hypertrophied). The chambers of the heart become small due to this and lead to obstruction of the blood flow from the heart. When the obstruction is severe, it is known as hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM).

This condition is often genetic and may be present at birth, but symptoms can develop at any age. The thickened heart muscle makes it harder for the heart to pump blood efficiently, and in severe cases, may lead to arrhythmias, heart failure, or sudden cardiac death, especially in younger individuals.

While a variety of symptoms characterise heart muscle defects, some of the most common ones include dizziness, feeling faint, chest pains and palpitations, extreme fatigue and shortness of breath, especially during physical exertion. Managing heart muscle defects involves cardiac evaluations at regular intervals, taking the prescribed medicines regularly to prevent complications and alleviate symptoms, and following a healthy heart diet. In some cases, surgical procedures such as septal myectomy or alcohol septal ablation may be needed . Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) may also be recommended for patients at high risk of sudden cardiac arrest.

Congenital Heart Defects in Adults

Based on the nature of the defect, the diagnosis might occur soon after birth, during childhood or in adulthood. This is because the symptoms of different types of congenital heart disease become apparent at different ages, including some that do not show up until adulthood. In cases where the disorder is detected only in adulthood, the symptoms of a newly discovered congenital heart defect may include shortness of breath, chest pain, reduced ability to exercise and becoming easily fatigued.

There could also be cases where defects treated in childhood might occur again in adulthood. This can happen because the repair may have been ineffective, or the defect has grown over time. Another problem that could arise is scar tissue, which could lead to problems such as heart arrhythmias.

The treatment for congenital heart disease in adults varies depending on the specific defect and its severity. Some patients may only need constant monitoring, some require medication, and others may be advised surgery.

The quality of life (QOL) of individuals living with Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) has been a subject of much interest for medical researchers. While earlier studies showed that those with such diseases suffered a low QOL, recent studies have been much more encouraging, showing that patients can lead normal and fulfilling lives while managing the symptoms.

Women with such disorders also need not worry because, today, we have multiple birth control options for those suffering from ACHD. If the woman is pregnant, successful delivery can be performed through careful planning and management. However, it is important to remember that there are higher risks to the mother and foetus in case of maternal ACHD. This is why abstaining from getting pregnant is advised in some cases.

Congenital Adult Heart Disease