Treatment For Patent Ductus Arteriosus Prevents Further Complications of PDA

By Alana Olson

Accordingly, almost all of the newborn babies have openings in the ductus arteriosus. This is normal because the ductus arteriosus closes itself along with the baby's growth. The closing takes a very short period of time, around few weeks or months after the baby was born. This is the reason why the symptoms of this birth defect may only be noticeable after a certain period of time. When after weeks and months and your baby starts to show the symptoms of PDA, it is best that you take your baby to the doctor immediately for the diagnosis of PDA and for treatments for patent ductus arteriosus.

Babies with this condition are not really required to undergo treatments for patent ductus srteriosus because the ductus arteriosus of any person closes by itself. However, to babies and children with relatively larger openings in the ducuts arteriosus, a medical treatment or to some cases surgical operation may be needed.

While there are telltales that treatments for patent ductus arteriosus are not really needed, there are still main reasons to do it. One reason is for patients with large openings in ductus arteriosus, blood is directed to the lungs and this is a major cause of heart enlargement not in the present but at a later time and when this happens, treatments may be more complicated. Another reason why a treatment is necessary is that the spread of infection, a major cause of endocarditis is prevented.

Medically, there are three treatments for PDA. One is the medication which requires the use of indomethacin. It is not really recommended to patients who are very young and are still infants but there are some cases when doctors require this. Taking this drug, the wall muscles are constricted to close the opening of the ductus areriosus. Another treatment is the need for trans-catheter procedure. In this method, a small tube or the catheter is inserted in the groin area of the body and this small tube is used to obstruct the passageway in the ductus arteriosus. This method is always used to treat babies with small openings in the ductus arteriosus. The last treatment which is optional is the medical surgery. This treatment is required to patients whose ductus arteriosus does not close by itself and that these patients show a very long term symptoms of the birth defect. This is the process of repairing the PDA opening.

Although the above treatments for PDA may sound complicated, you have to be open to the possibilities and chances for recovery. The complications PDA bring are even more complicated so start while the symptoms are not yet severe. Consult your baby's pediatrician and ask for the treatment options your baby needs.

Teratogy of Fallot - The Most Common Cyanotic Heart Disease in Children

By Funom Makama

Tetratogy of Fallot is the most common cyanotic heart disease in children. The anatomic definition includes four defects:

1. Ventricular septal defect,

2. Pulmonic stenosis

3. an aorta that overrides the ventricular septal defect

4. Right ventricular hypertrophy

The first three defects are congenital, and the fourth is acquired as a result of the increased pressure within the right ventricle.

Embryonic development

The development of the defects in tetralogy of Fallot is the result of abnormal embryologic development of the ventricular septum, which results in infundibular hypertrophy, and in the division of the truncus arteriosus, which results in a smaller pulmonary artery and a larger aorta.

What Is an ECG / EKG?

by Michael A. Morales

An electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) is a painless, noninvasive measurement of the heart's electrical activity, and it is a diagnostic tool that is used to determine the condition of the heart (i.e., whether the heart is damaged or poorly functioning). This is helpful either when trying to diagnose an existing complaint or when proactively looking for warning signs. With several electrodes hooked up to standard locations on a patient's body, the electrocardiogram's results are examined for patterns that may be indicators of possible problems.

The heart uses an electrical pulse to initiate and regulate the flow of blood through the heart, and a heartbeat is one full cycle in the process of relaxing and contracting the heart chambers so that blood can enter and then be forced out to the rest of the body. The pulse begins in the right atrium, which contracts and forces blood to the ventricles. The pulse then moves to the ventricle walls, forcing the ventricles to contract, thus pushing the blood out of the heart and to the rest of the body. The pulses also control the direction of the blood flow through a series of valves. The ECG / EKG measures the strength of the pulses in the chambers of the heart, along with the rate at which the pulses are occurring.

When the heart is functioning correctly, oxygenated blood and nutrients are pumped from the heart to the other organs of the body. The blood carries waste (such as carbon dioxide) from the organs to the lungs, where the waste is emitted. If the heart is failing or is injured, the oxygen may not make it to all the organs and the waste may not make it completely out of the body. Those organs and their associated bodily functions are then at risk of failing.

The ECG / EKG can uncover heart attacks; arrhythmia (irregular rhythm of the heart); heart valve problems, congenital heart defects (problem with the heart from birth); heart failure (i.e., the heart is incapable of pumping hard enough to get blood to some organs); and pericarditis, inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart.

Electrocardiograms are performed by nurses, doctors, and lab technicians, but typically the results are examined by doctors and cardiologists. If a general physician identifies abnormalities in the ECG / EKG results, he most likely will contact a cardiologist to seek his expertise.

Your Heart Rate: Is It Too Fast Or Too Slow?

by Ombladom Freacka

Beside cancer, cardiovascular disease kills a lot more than 2,000 Americans everyday. Approximately 60 million Americans have heart disease.

I. Causes of Heart Diseases

There are many reasons for heart diseases. Most of heart diseases are caused by hypertension contributes to hardening of the arteries. High amounts of bad cholesterol (LDL) build up within the arteries due to uncontrolled diet rich in amounts of saturated fat and trans fat. All these add to the formation of atherosclerosis lesions and eventually arterial blockage or anything that serves to damage the interior lining of arteries and impedes the transportation of oxygen and nutrition towards the heart can be explained as a risk of heart disease.

II Symptoms of Heart diseases

Here are a few early indication of cardiovascular disease symptoms:

1. Leg cramps during walking

Leg cramps during exercise may be brought on by dehydration. You should drink lots of fluid during exercise. Leg cramps occur once the muscle suddenly and forcefully contracts. The most common muscles to contract in this manner are muscles that cross two joints. Leg cramps during walking may be an indication of heart disease brought on by arteries in your leg being clogged up by cholesterol in consequence of not enough oxygen being sent to the cells in your leg.

2. Heart problems

Chest pain is brought on by arteries within the heart temporarily being blocked up. Its also caused by inadequate oxygen supply towards the heart muscle or coronary . The persistence of chest pain would be an earlier indication of heart diseases.

3. Shortness of breath

Difficulty breathing (dyspnea) may be the major symptom of the left ventricular insufficiency. Individuals with shortness of breath are 4 times more prone to die from a heart disease related cause than individuals with no symptoms.

4. Headaches

People see sparkling zigzag lines or loss of vision before a migraine attack may be at particular risk of future cardiovascular problems. Generally headaches dont cause heart diseases but an abrupt, explosive start of great pain may be.

5. Dizziness

Dizziness can have many causes including low blood count, low iron within the bloodstream along with other blood disorders, dehydration, and viral illnesses. Since there are a variety of problems that can produce these symptoms, anybody experiencing instances of problems or dizziness ought to be checked because of your doctor.

6. Palpitations

Palpitations is an extremely common characteristic of cardiovascular disease. Palpitations are skips in the heart beats and irregular heart beats.

7. Loss of awareness

Its a common symptom, most people distribute at least one time in their lives. However, sometimes loss of consciousness indicates an unsafe or even life-threatening condition for example cardiovascular disease so when loss of consciousness occurs it is important to figure out the cause.

There are lots of more symptoms such as fatigue, memory defects, and alterations in skin tone and temperature.

III. Kinds of Heart Diseases

The heart is really a four chambered, hollow muscle and double acting pump that is found in the chest between the lungs. Heart diseases caused by high blood pressure contributes to hardening of the arteries. High amounts of bad cholesterol (LDL) develop in the arteries as a result of uncontrolled diet with high levels of saturated fats and trans fat. Each one of these add to the formation of atherosclerosis lesions and eventually arterial blockage.

There are some major types of heart diseases:

1. Kind of cardiovascular disease affecting heart chambers

Once we mention in the previous article, the heart is a four chambered hollow muscle and double acting pump that is located in the chest between your lungs. Heart diseases brought on by high blood pressure contributes to hardening from the arteries. High amounts of bad cholesterol (LDL) build up in the arteries as a result of uncontrolled diet rich in levels of saturated fats and trans fat. Each one of these increase the formation of atherosclerosis lesions and eventually arterial blockage.

In the following paragraphs, we will discuss heart disease affecting ones heart chambers.

Heart failure is caused by the heart not pumping as much blood as it should so the body doesnt get as much blood and oxygen it needs. The malfunctioning from the heart chambers are due to damage brought on by narrowed or blocked arteries leading to muscle of your heart.

There are 4 heart chambers as follow:

* The right atrium

* The left atrium

* The right ventricle

* The left ventricle.

Heart diseases modify the heart chambers include:

A. Congestive heart failure

Heart failure is caused by the heart not pumping just as much blood as it should so the body doesnt get just as much blood and oxygen it needs. The malfunctioning of the heart chambers are due to damage brought on by narrowed or blocked arteries resulting in muscle of your heart.

a) Diastolic dysfunction:

The contraction function is common but theres impaired relaxation from the heart, impairing its ability to fill with blood resulting in the blood going back to the heart to amass in the lungs or veins.

b) Systolic dysfunction:

The relaxing function is normal but theres impaired contraction of the heart causing the heart to not pump out as much blood thats returned to it because it normally does as a result of more blood remaining in the lower chambers of the heart.

B. Pulmonary cardiovascular disease

Pulmonary heart disease is brought on by an enlarged right ventricle. Its called heart disease resulting from a lung disorder in which the blood flowing into the lungs is slowed or blocked causing increased lung pressure. The right side from the heart needs to pump harder to push against the increased pressure and this can lead to enlargement from the right ventricle.

2. Heart Disease affecting heart muscles

When it comes to heart diseases affecting heart muscles, the heart muscles are stiff, increasing the amount of pressure required to expand for blood to flow into the heart or even the narrowing of the passage as a result of obstructing blood flow from the heart.

Heart diseases affecting heart muscles include:

A. Cardiomyopathy

Heart muscle becomes inflamed and work as well as it should. There might be multiple causes such as hypertension, heart valve disease, artery diseases or congenital heart defects.

a) Dilated cardiomyopathy

The heart cavity is enlarged and stretched. Blood flows more slowly with an enlarged heart, causing formation of thrombus due to clots sticking to the inner lining of the heart, breaking from the right ventricle into the pulmonary circulation in the lung or just being dislodged and carried into the bodys circulation to form emboli .

b) Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

The wall between your two ventricles becomes enlarged, obstructing the blood flow in the left ventricle. Sometimes the thickened wall distorts one leaflet from the mitral valve, causing it to leak. The the signs of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy include difficulty breathing, dizziness, fainting and angina pectoris.

c) Restrictive cardiomyopathy

The ventricles becomes excessively rigid, so its harder for the ventricles to fill with blood between heartbeats. The symptoms of restrictive cardiomyopathy include shortness of breath, swollen hands and feet.

B. Myocarditis Myocarditis is an inflammation from the heart muscles or even the weaken from the heart muscles. The the signs of myocarditis include fever, chest pains, congestive heart failure and palpitation.

3. Heart disease affecting heart valves

Heart diseases affecting heart valves occur when the mitral valve in the heart narrows, resulting in the heart to operate harder to function blood in the left atrium in to the ventricle.

Here are a few kinds of heart disease affecting heart valves:

a. Mitral Stenosis

Mitral Stenosis is a heart valve disorder which involves a narrowing or blockage of the opening of the mitral valve resulting in the volume and pressure of blood in the left atrium increases.

b. Mitral valves regurgitation

Mitral regurgitation is the cardiovascular disease in which your hearts mitral valve doesnt close tightly resulting in the blood to be unable to undertake the heart efficiently. The signs of mitral valve regurgitation are fatigue and difficulty breathing.

c. Mitral valves prolapse

In mitral valve prolapse, either leaflets from the valve are too large leading to uneven closure of the valve during each heartbeat. Symptoms of mitral valves prolapse are palpitation, difficulty breathing, dizzy, fatigue and chest pains.

d. Aortic Stenosis

With aging, protein collagen of the valve leaflets are destroyed and calcium is deposited around the leaflets causing scarring, thickening, and stenosis from the valve therefore increasing the deterioration of the valve leaflets resulting in the symptoms and heart disease of aortic stenosis.

e. Aortic regurgitation

Aortic regurgitation may be the leaking of the aortic valve of the heart that triggers blood to flow in the reverse direction during ventricular diastole, from the aorta into the left ventricle. The signs of aortic regurgitation include fatigue or weakness, difficulty breathing, heart problems, palpitation and irregular heart beats.

f. Tricuspid stenosis

Tricuspid stenosis may be the narrowing of the orifice from the tricuspid valve from the heart causing increased potential to deal with blood flow with the valve. The signs of tricuspid stenosis include fatigue, enlarged liver, abdominal swelling, neck discomfort and leg and ankle swelling.

g. Tricuspid regurgitation.

Tricuspid regurgitation may be the failure from the right ventricular causing blood to leak back through the tricuspid valve in the right ventricle into the right atrium from the heart. The signs of tricuspid regurgitation include leg and ankle swelling and swelling in the abdomen.

Heart Problems in Children - Wockhardt Foundation

by Wockhardt Foudation

Heart disease is not a significant cause of loss of life among children and youngsters, but it is the major cause of death among adults.

Congenital heart problems are the most common birth defect, affecting 1 in every 100 infants. Most of the threats are usually passed down through family members (they are hereditary) or they are the result of another illness or disease. These risks usually can be controlled. Congenital heart disease (heart problems you are born with) cannot be changed, but better tests and treatments are now available for children with these types of heart problems.

What causes a heart defect?

Usually a heart defect develops when the baby is still growing in the womb. Usually doctors cannot tell why this has occurred and it is not caused by anything the mother did during her pregnancy.

Sometimes heart problems are due to genetics (ie: family history).

Sometimes certain diseases in childhood cause harm to the heart.

Sometimes children get problems with their heart after a viral infection. This is incredibly unusual.

Signs and symptoms of heart defects

Many children appear healthy and their parents do not know they have a heart defects. If children do have symptoms, they often develop in the first few weeks after they are born.

Common symptoms include:

'Blue baby' - blue skin and blue around the lips.

Difficulty feeding.

Shortness of breath.

These symptoms result from a decreased oxygen supply to the body, which happens because:

Blood does not have as much oxygen as usual, or

The heart does not pump as well as it should.

Again, some of these risk factors can be changed, treated, or modified, and some cannot. But it is important to realize that prevention is the best way to avoid a heart defect later in life. Controlling as many risk factors as possible, developing in childhood, will help decrease your child's risk of developing heart disease as an adult.

Treatment for heart defects

If signs develop very quickly, or if your baby is a newborn, your physician will arrange tests and therapy much more quickly. Most heart defects can be fixed with medication. Sometimes surgery or other techniques may be needed. In some cases there is no need for any treatment.

Medicine

For some heart problems children can take medicine which can be ceased once the problem has enhanced. Sometimes medicines need to be taken for many years or even for all their life.

Surgery

Heart surgery can provide a life-long cure for some heart conditions. A heart surgeon will discuss the threats and benefits in detail with you. In very rare cases where surgery, techniques, or medicine does not help, a child may need a heart transplant.

Other Procedures

Some techniques include putting a thin tube, known as a catheter, through the veins to the heart to treat the heart defect. Your child is given a general anaesthetic for this.

Key points to remember

Heart defects are quite common in kids (about 1 in 100).

Treatment for heart defects relies on the cause of the problem. In some cases treatment may not be necessary. In others, your child may need medicines, medical procedures or surgery treatment (and sometimes a combination of all).

Kids with minimal heart related problems often live long and normal lives without therapy.

Children who need treatment often have generally regular life with little or no restrictions to what they can do.

Atrial septal defect

by Wayne Strickland

An atrial septal defect (ASD) - oftentimes known as hole within the heart - is a kind of congenital heart defect where there's an unnatural opening up within the separating wall between the higher filling chambers in the coronary heart (the atria).

Generally ASDs are identified and dealt with properly with few or absolutely no troubles.

To comprehend this particular defect, it very first really helps to evaluate some fundamentals about the way a proper heart commonly operates.ital

The heart has 4 chambers: The 2 lower pumping chambers are known as the ventricles, and the two upper filling chambers are the atria.

In the healthy heart, bloodstream which returns from your body to the right-sided filling chamber (right atrium) is short of fresh air. This blood moves towards the right-sided pumping chamber (right ventricle), and subsequently to the lungs to get oxygen. The blood that is enriched with much needed oxygen comes back to the left atrium, then to the left ventricle. It is then moved out to the body with the aorta, a big blood vessel which carries the blood to the smaller blood vessels in your body. The right and left filling chambers are usually divided by a thin shared wall, called the atrial septum.

Children with an atrial septal defect come with an opening in the wall (septum) between the atria. Because of this, some oxygen rich blood from the left atrium runs through the hole in the septum into the right atrium, where it combines with oxygen-poor blood and boosts the entire quantity of blood that moves toward the lungs. The elevated blood circulation to your lungs creates a swishing sound, termed as a heart murmur. This heart murmur, together with other specific heart sounds which might be detected by a cardiologist, could be indications that a child has an ASD.

ASDs might be found in various places on the atrial septum, and so they might be various sizes. The signs or symptoms and medical care of the defect is dependent upon those factors. In certain rare cases, ASDs are part of more complicated forms of congenital heart disease. It is not clear why, but ASDs are usually more common in girls than in boys.

Treatment options assuming closure is required:

1) Least invasive 30 minute catheterization procedure is done percutaneously (through the skin). The device is attached to a catheter, which is inserted into a vein in the groin and advanced to the heart and through the defect, guided by X-ray and intracardiac echo. As the device is slowly pushed out of the catheter, it opens up to cover each edge of the defect, sealing it closed. Over time, tissue grows over the implant and it becomes part of the heart. This procedure requires patients to be on blood thinners for approximately six months.

Congenital Heart Disease and Physical Therapy

by Ron Ayalon

Congenital heart diseases refers to the structural (anatomical) or physiological defects in the normal functioning of the heart as a result of birth defects that may be diagnosed soon after birth or may take years to produce full blown cardiac insufficiency. Valvular heart defects form the most common variety of congenital cardiac defect that is associated with high morbidity and mortality in adult years if no management options are employed.

This is because the metabolic demands of the body increase with growth and development that poses more pressure on the heart leading to cardiac failure or circulatory deficits. With overall prevalence of 26.6%, it was suggested that only 12.1% cases can be detected by clinical evaluation. Among the most prevalent congenital cardiac defects, ventricular septal abnormalities comprise 17.3% of all congenital anomalies followed by atrial septal defects (6.0%) and other less common cardiac diseases. The mortality is highest with cyanotic heart diseases.

According to the research statistics reported by Julien I.E Hoffman, over 1 million patients were born with congenital heart defects (during 1940 to 2002). Considering the quality of medical services and surgical/ medical advancements, Hoffman suggested that the total number of survivors with mild heart disease (who may reach well into adulthood) is 750,000 with mild heart disease, 400,000 with moderate heart disease and 180,000 with severe disease (with treatment). Without any management or treatment the survival rate may fall to 400,000 with mild disease, 220,000 with moderate disease, and 30,000 with severe heart disease, suggesting very high mortality.

Congenital heart diseases are also associated with stunted growth and development in children marked by poor weight gain, failure to thrive and frequent hospitalizations while growing up. In addition, these children also develop frequent episodes of shortness of breath, rapid heart rate (also known as tachycardia) and attacks of fatigue associated with decreased exercise endurance.

Physical therapy and mild exercises are helpful in the growth and development of children born with congenital heart disease. It is extremely important not to initiate exercise therapies in these children without seeking the guidance from registered physical therapists who work in coordination with the pediatric cardiologist to deliver best exercise regimens in order to optimize health without overloading the heart. Generally, children and adults can perform moderate static exercises of mild intensity without any complications; however, healthcare providers strongly restrict weight lifting in pediatric aged children and even in adults born with cardiac defects. 

Caution should be maintained to avoid lifting weight of more than 25 pounds in children and more than 50 pounds in adults. Physical therapist and pediatric cardiologist must assess every child individually and advice customized exercises and treatments according to the severity of illness and overall physical health. Treadmill test, bicycling and echocardiography are mainly used as assessment tools as the risk of sudden death increases if vigorous activity is attempted in children born with aortic stenosis, cyanotic heart diseases and coarctation of the aorta.

Hardcore or traditional gym exercises increase cardiac output that may overload the heart and may increase the risk of complications or sudden cardiac death. On the contrary, exercises performed under the guidance of physical therapists serve multiple benefits. Exercise or physical activities are needed in order to build stamina and maintain exercise endurance especially in school going children who engage in physical activities with peers. Physical therapy improves the pace of mental and physical development that allows children to develop healthy social relationships with peers, muscle and motor coordination and mental concordance. 

Physical therapy and periodic assessments are also needed in order to know the physical capacity of child and to track worsening of cardiac defect with age (in order to avoid accidents or unwanted incidents at schools) by restricting excessive physical activity. In some children, healthcare providers delay surgery until the child crosses some developmental milestones; however, it is very important that until then child stays in best possible physical shape to lessen the risk of surgical complications.

According to the scientific peer-reviewed journal- American Family Physician there are 5 stages of physical activity recommendations of Physical Activity in Children with CHD, ranging from no restriction to extreme limitation of physical activity (wheel chair bound).

Without any physical therapy, the progression into the severe disability is fairly high. It is the duty of parents to promote healthy physical activity but make sure to prevent contact sports or vigorous activities that may affect cardiac functioning.

Pulmonary Heart Disease

 by Alexis Kenne

pulmonary heart disease

Pulmonary heart disease - is a very serious form of heart disease. If there is a change in the structure of the right ventricle located in the heart, due to respiratory problems. Pulmonary heart disease affects nearly 1 million people a year. Many things can increase your risk for developing pulmonary heart disease such as smoking, obesity or poor sleeping habits. Pulmonary heart disease (cor pulmonale) occurs when pulmonary arterial pressure is elevated secondary to dysfunction of the lungs and its vasculature and produces right heart failure.

Pulmonary heart disease is historically known as a chronic condition that has in most instances proved to be incurable and results in a very low survival rate. Today though, there are some new treatment options available that seem to have generally improved the prognosis for pulmonary heart disease. Pulmonary heart disease you are talking about is pulmonary edema. It can occur without any reason or cause, but the most common reason is heart problem, which lasted for a long time and was left untreated. Pulmonary heart disease includes pulmonary valve stenosis and pulmonary valve regurgitation. Both these lesions are rare although pulmonary regurgitation is more common than pulmonary stenosis.

Pulmonary heart disease in clinical practice is often seen as Heart Zang disease with chronic changes in lungs, chest cavity, pulmonary artery, which causes an obstruction of lung circulation. Those changes result in high pressure in pulmonary artery and enlargement of the right half of heart combined with failure of the right half of heart. Pulmonary heart disease occurs when the blood flow into the lungs is slowed or blocked because of lung problems. This circumstance increases the pressure on the lungs and the heart requires working harder to oppose this added pressure, which in the end can become pulmonary heart disease.

Pulmonary heart disease is a change in structure and function of the right ventricle of the heart as a result of a respiratory disorder. Exactly that is a complication of lung disorders where the blood flow into the lungs is slowed or blocked causing increased lung pressure. Pulmonary heart disease includes pulmonary valve stenosis and pulmonary valve regurgitation. Both these lesions are rare although pulmonary regurgitation is more common than pulmonary stenosis.

Coronary heart disease occurs when plaque develops within the arteries that pump blood into the heart. The disease progresses over time, and symptoms are often non - existent until the condition manifests itself in the form of a heart attack. Cor pulmonale may lead to congestive heart failure (CHF), with worsening of respiration due to pulmonary edema, swelling of the legs due to peripheral edema and painful congestive hepatomegaly. This situation requires diuretics (to decrease strain on the heart), sometimes nitrates (to improve blood flow) and occasionally inotropes (to improve heart contractility). Coronary heart disease is the most frequent type of heart disease of all, and is also the leading reason of heart attacks. Coronary heart disease is a term that refers to damage to the heart that happens because its blood supply is decreased, and what happens here is that fatty deposits build up on the linings of the blood vessels that provide the heart muscles with blood, resulting in them narrowing.

Signs vary greatly, depending on the extent to which the lung is involved. Simple, uncomplicated embolism produces such cardiopulmonary signs as dyspnea, tachypnea, persistent cough, pleuritic pain and hemoptysis. Sign up and add some content to the process. This link describes the obvious advantages of opening participation to interested parties.

Treatment is also aimed at the underlying condition that is producing cor pulmonale. Common treatments include antibiotics for respiratory infection; anticoagulants to reduce the risk of thromboembolism; and digitalis, oxygen, and phlebotomy to reduce red blood cell count. Treatment includes bed rest, medications such as digitalis, control of excess salt and water retention, and elimination of the underlying cause. See also congestive heart failure. Treatment is not always successful.

Symptoms and causes of TOF

by Miguel Carlos

• The most common cause of Blue Baby Syndrome; and 
• The most common cyanotic heart defect.

The condition was named after Etienne-Louis Arthur Fallot, a French physician. TOF is more common in men than in women.

Tetralogy of Fallot Signs & Symptoms

Infants with TOF usually develop cyanosis during their first year of life. This includes:

• The lips, mucous membranes and the skin inside the mouth as well as the nose feature a noticeable dusky blue color.
• Infants with severe obstruction of the "right ventricle outflow" turning blue at night.
• If pulmonary stenosis is mild or if the ventricular septal defect is so small or even both, children with TOF never turn blue.
• Children whose cyanosis is subtle, the disease may go undetected for years. 

Symptoms of TOF are:

• A slower growth and development, especially if there is severe pulmonary stenosis. Even puberty can get delayed if left untreated.
• Child gets tired easily and starts panting at the slightest exertion. After playing for a very short time, the child will sit or lie down.
• When the child starts walking, he or she may assume a squatting position just to catch his or her breath before he resumes physical activity. This is since squatting can increase the pressure in the aorta as well as left ventricle transiently. If this is done, less blood flow will move to the left ventricle and more from the pulmonary artery towards the lungs. 
• During the first two to three years of life, the child may show episodes of extreme blue coloring. This is also referred to as "tet spells" or "hypercyanosis". During this stage:
• The child may feel a difficulty in breathing; he or she may turn blue; and he or she may become faint or extremely irritable. 
• These spells are usually experienced by 20% to 70% of children with TOF.
• These spells usually happen during crying, feeding, straining or during waking in the morning.
• These spells can last for a few minutes an even a few hours.

Tetralogy of Fallot Causes

TOF is perceived to be a result of genetic or environmental factors. There are times when it is a combination of these two factors. The condition is also associated with the DiGeorge syndrome and with chromosome 22 deletions. This also includes: NKX2-5, JAG1, ZFPM2 and VEGF.

(Tetralogy of Fallot is a combination of four congenital abnormalities. The four defects are a ventricular septal defect (VSD), pulmonary stenosis, a misplaced aorta and a thickened right ventricular wall (right ventricular hypertrophy). They usually result in an insufficient amount of oxygenated blood reaching the body.--Mayo Clinic Medical)

How a Congenital Heart Defect Develops

 by Josephine Osborn

How big is your heart?

The size of one's heart is roughly the size of one's fist. Whether as an infant or as one grows into adulthood, the size proportion is roughly the same. The heart is an essential organ of the body that one must take care of. Exercise, a clean lifestyle, a healthy diet and weight will go a long way in keeping your heart fit. There are instances though when one is born with a heart abnormality or, in medical parlance, a congenital heart defect.

What is a Congenital Heart Defect?

A congenital heart defect is an abnormality in the heart's structure that is present at birth. It may cause the blood flow to slow down, go in the wrong direction, go to the wrong place, or it may block the flow completely. Sometimes, they are referred to as cyanotic heart disease or congenital cardiovascular malformations.

Common Congenital Heart Defects

Heart defects are the most common of abnormalities at birth. About 35,000 infants are born with it each year in the United States. They may be simple defects with no symptoms to complex ones with life-threatening symptoms In fact, they are the leading cause of birth defect-related deaths. 

Simple congenital heart diseases include Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), Patent Ductus Arteriosus and narrowed valves. On the other hand, the most common complex heart defect is tetralogy of Fallot. It is a condition wherein not enough blood is able to reach the lungs to get oxygen, and oxygen-poor blood flows to the body. 

Causes

Environment and genes are contributory factors to developing a heart defect. More often than not though, the real cause is not identified. Drinking alcohol, smoking and use of cocaine during pregnancy can lead to heart defects. Other possible causes are medication, viral infections and chronic illnesses such as diabetes, phenylketonuria (PKU) and deficiency in the B vitamin folic acid. Heredity or genetic defects can also be predisposing factors. 

Prevention

Pregnancy is critical in the first trimester. The heart, like some other body organs, starts to develop shortly after conception. Chances of abnormal development or complications causing heart defects may happen.

Caution is advised when taking drug medication during pregnancy. Many drugs contain chemicals or substances that could potentially harm the fetus. Caution has been issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) against usage of antidepressants among pregnant women. According to the FDA, studies showed that women who took Paxil during the first trimester of pregnancy were about 1.5 to two times as likely to have a baby with a heart defect as women who received other antidepressants. The issue of pre-natal drug medication, like the Paxil birth defect, is one that should not to be cast aside by any pregnant woman.

Symptoms Of Congestive Heart Failure

by Dee Braun

Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart is not pumping blood as efficiently as it should and is not getting the required amount of blood to the organs in the body. Soon after the efficiency of the heart goes down the organs do not receive the right amount of oxygen and nutrients, and symptoms occur.

Symptoms of congestive heart failure include: Edema, irregular or rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, trouble concentrating, wheeze, nausea, coughing with phlegm that is white or tinged with blood, appetite loss or fluid retention that results in fast weight gain

Symptoms are not always apparent while resting but will almost always show up during some type of exercise. Exercise tends to cause an individual to become fatigued and dizzy. The blood pressure goes down and the body attempts to make up for the lost blood volume by setting off hormone and nerve signals that are meant to increase blood volume by retaining water.

The heart also has a tendency to start beating at a rapid pace while it's muscles become thick and the ventricles stretch out to allow more blood flow. This does not fix anything because it is still not beating effectively enough to get the required amount of blood to the organs and tissues.

Congestive heart failure can either come on suddenly or gradually get worse over time. It is normally caused by some other medical condition or damage that was caused to the heart. Some things that can lead to heart failure include: infections in the heart, damage caused by heart attacks or surgery, congenital heart defects, constant high blood pressure, coronary artery disease or faulty heart valves.

Many times, heart failure sticks around for life and needs to be managed by a thorough treatment plan from your doctor. It is treatable with a combination of medication and sometimes surgery.

If an underlying condition has led to the heart failure the key is to treat the underlying condition first. If it is treated effectively then the heart failure sometimes can correct itself. This can only happen if the heart did not receive any permanent damage.

There are ways to naturally help this condition:

Exercise: Just 30 minutes of exercise twice a week can reduce the risk of hospitalization or death in heart failure patients, according to study findings presented at the March 2009 annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology. With more exercise, the benefit is even greater. Walking at a rate of 2 miles per hour for 30 minutes a few times a week will make a difference.

Supplements: There are quite a number of herbs and supplements that could have a beneficial effect on heart disease. I have listed some below. You may click on each one for more information but ultimately the use of supplements has to be done with the full knowledge and approval of your health care provider.

* Fish Oils or eating cold water fish reduces the risk for heart rhythm disturbances and may reduce the risk of heart palpitations, atrial fibrillation and ventricular arrhythmia.

* Vitamin D deficiency is associated with heart dysfunction, sudden cardiac death, and death due to heart failure. An association between vitamin D deficiency and heart trouble is physiologically plausible since vitamin D is known to affect contractility of the heart.

* Arginine may prolong exercise capacity in those with congestive heart failure. Arginine supplements are available over the counter.

* Carnitine is potentially helpful since the heart uses carnitine for energy production

* CoQ10 may be beneficial in heart failure. See CoQ10-60mg supplement for more information.

* Hawthorn is vasodilatory, increases coronary flow, acts as an inotrope (stimulates heart contraction), decreases peripheral resistance, and has ACE-inhibitor-like effect. Daily dosage Hawthorn berry herb 3 to 5g or 160 to 900 mg extract for a few weeks. Appears to be useful in mild heart failure.

* Folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 can help prevent reoccurrence of blocked arteries in patients who have undergone coronary angioplasty.

* Psyllium fiber may help reduce cholesterol levels.

* Magnesium mineral may help

* Ribose may be beneficial to individuals with congestive heart failure.

* Astragalus has been studied in heart failure

I would also highly recommend reading the information HERE on the use of supplements and nutrition to combat heart failure - the information presented there could help save your life.

An estimated 4.8 million Americans have congestive heart failure (CHF)... Half of the patients diagnosed with CHF will be dead within 5 years. Each year, there are an estimated 400,000 new cases.

CHF is the... most common diagnosis in hospital patients age 65 years and older. In that age group, one fifth of all hospitalizations have a primary or secondary diagnosis of heart failure.

Congestive heart failure is a serious medical condition that you should not try and cure with herbal remedies alone. You can talk to your doctor about incorporating some herbs into your treatment plan and see what they say, but you really need to make sure that you follow their advice to a 'T'. You only get one heart and a heart transplant is probably not something that you want to go through anytime soon.