Congenital Heart Defects

Congenital heart defects occur during foetal development, where the heart and blood vessels fail to grow properly.

Follow the links below to information about various heart defects and their effects.

Reviewed July 2008

13 Resources Found

Results 1 to 13 displayed.

Title:	Congenital heart defects
Publisher:	myDr
Description:	While some congenital heart defects are serious, many produce no problems throughout life. Find out more.
Date:	Apr 2009

Title:	Noonan syndrome
Publisher:	Better Health Channel
Description:	Noonan syndrome is a genetic condition that usually includes heart abnormalities and characteristic facial features. About one-third of affected children have mild intellectual disability. There is no cure, but medical management of possible complications is important.
Date:	Apr 2008

Title:	Heart disorders (acquired) children
Publisher:	Better Health Channel
Description:	Some children develop a heart problem after an illness. This is called an acquired heart defect. The four main types of acquired heart defect are Kawasaki disease, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy and rheumatic heart disease. All children with heart defects should be given antibiotics when they have teeth removed or when they have other surgery which involves the mouth, nose, intestinal organs or genito-urinary systems. Bacteria may enter the bloodstream during these procedures and can cause serious infection (known as infective endocarditis) in the abnormal part of the heart.
Date:	Oct 2007

Title:	Birth defects - heart abnormalities
Publisher:	Better Health Channel
Description:	A congenital heart defect (CHD) is present at birth. Congenital heart defects include ventricular septal defect, transposition of the great vessels, coarctation of aorta, tetralogy of Fallot and hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Some defects are serious and may require medication and surgery
Date:	Oct 2007

Title:	Prophylactic surgical ligation of patent ductus arteriosus for prevention of mortality and morbidity in extremely low birth weight infants
Publisher:	John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
Description:	To identify and summarize evidence from randomized controlled trials investigating the effectiveness and safety of prophylactic surgical ligation of the PDA on mortality and morbidities of preterm infants less than 1000 g at birth as compared to no prophylaxis or prophylactic cyclooxygenase inhibitors.

Title:	Continuous infusion versus intermittent bolus doses of indomethacin for patent ductus arteriosus closure in symptomatic preterm infants
Publisher:	John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
Description:	Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) occurs when an artery near the heart and lungs stays open and does not close off after birth. Babies born early (preterm) have an increased risk of complications and death due to PDA. Indomethacin has been used to close th...
Date:	Aug 2007

Title:	Antibiotics for brain abscesses in people with cyanotic congenital heart disease
Publisher:	John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
Description:	Serious congenital heart disease leads to abnormal blood flow through the heart and lungs. This results in an inability to carry enough oxygen around the body which makes patients blue (cyanotic) and severely limits their physical activity. People with ...
Date:	May 2007

Title:	Information for health professionals concerning use of SSRI antidepressants in pregnant women
Publisher:	Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:	New information has recently become available that suggests pregnant women who take SSRI antidepressant medicines in early pregnancy may have an increased risk of giving birth to an infant with a heart problem. This association appears to be strongest for the SSRI medicine, paroxetine.
Date:	Sep 2005

Title:	General information concerning use of SSRI antidepressants in pregnant women
Publisher:	Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:	New information has recently become available that suggests pregnant women who take SSRI antidepressant medicines in early pregnancy may have an increased risk of giving birth to an infant with a heart problem. This association appears to be strongest for the SSRI medicine, paroxetine.
Date:	Sep 2005

Title:	Advice for women taking paroxetine intending to become pregnant or in early pregnancy
Publisher:	Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:	There is some information to suggest that use of the medicine paroxetine in early pregnancy (first 13 weeks) may be associated with an increased risk of some congenital malformations in babies. It is not proven that this does occur.
Date:	Sep 2005

Title:	Psychological interventions for depression in adolescent and adult congenital heart disease
Publisher:	John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
Description:	Sometimes young adults and adults who are born with heart problems grow up and have depression. Treatments to help them other than anti-depressant drugs include psychotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapies and talking therapies. Benefits to having ...
Date:	May 2003

Title:	Prophylactic intravenous indomethacin for preventing mortality and morbidity in preterm infants
Publisher:	John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
Description:	Babies born too early (preterm) with PDA are at increased risk of severe illness and death. Indomethacin has been given to very small babies within 24 hours of birth to help close a PDA, at the same time reducing the risk of bleeding into the head - int...
Date:	Apr 2002

Title:	Furosemide for prevention of morbidity in indomethacin-treated infants with patent ductus arteriosus
Publisher:	John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
Description:	There is no strong evidence of benefit from routine use furosemide, a loop diuretic, in preterm babies receiving indomethacin for treatment of patent ductus arteriosus. A blood vessel (ductus arteriosus), which is required for blood circulation for the ...
Date:	Apr 2001

Results 1 to 13 displayed.