Docs Tag: heart
Congenital Heart Defects
What is congenital heart disease?
Congenital heart disease is a heart condition you are born with. The word congenital means “present at birth.” Congenital heart disease can range from very minor conditions which never cause problems, to more serious conditions that require treatment.
A congenital heart defect happens when the chambers, walls or valves of your heart – or the blood vessels near the heart – don’t develop normally before birth. There are many different types of defects listed below.
1. Holes in the heart (septal defects)
When a baby is born with an abnormal opening in the wall that separates the right and left chambers of the heart (the septum), blood can leak between the chambers instead of flowing normally to the rest of the body. This may cause the heart to become enlarged.
The most common holes in the heart are:
- Atrial septal defect (ASD) Normally, oxygen-rich blood that’s already been to the lungs flows from the left atrium to the left ventricle, out the aorta and to the body. An abnormal opening between the right and left atria (the upper chambers of the heart) allows some blood from the left atrium to leak back into the right atrium. Your heart has to work extra hard to move the extra blood out to the lungs. The seriousness of the problem depends on the size of the opening.
Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is one type of atrial septal defect. The hole between the left and right atria usually closes within the first few years of life. Even if it doesn’t close, the hole may not cause any complications unless you have a second heart defect. PFOs are very common and many people will never know they have one.
- Ventricular septal defect (VSD) If there is a hole between your right and left ventricles, oxygen-rich blood returning from your lungs leaks from the left ventricle into the right ventricle instead of being pumped into the aorta and out to the rest of your body. Depending on the size of the opening, you may need surgery to close the hole.
2. Obstruction of blood flow
Stenosis is a narrowing or obstruction in heart valves, arteries or veins that affects the flow of blood. Atresia is when a passageway in the body is abnormally shut or has not formed properly. Different types of stenosis and atresia can partly or completely block blood flow in the heart.
- Pulmonary valve stenosis If your pulmonary valve narrows, the flow of oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle through the pulmonary arteries to your lungs is restricted. This interferes with the blood’s ability to pick up oxygen and deliver it to the rest of your body. The right ventricle has to work harder to pump blood through the narrowed pulmonary valve and the pressure in the heart is often increased.
- Pulmonary atresia The pulmonary valve lets blood flow from the right ventricle to the lungs via the pulmonary artery. In pulmonary atresia, the pulmonary valve does not form properly and it remains closed at birth. Blood is not able to flow properly to the lungs to get oxygenated. If left untreated, this condition is fatal. Visit About Kid’s Health to learn more.
- Tricuspid atresia The tricuspid valve controls blood flow between the right atrium and the right ventricle. In tricuspid atresia, the valve does not form properly and there is no opening between these two chambers. Blood is not able to flow from the right atrium into the right ventricle and then onto the lungs, to get oxygenated. If left untreated, this condition is fatal. Visit About Kid’s Health to learn more.
- Aortic stenosis When the aortic valve narrows, blood flow is restricted from the heart through the main artery to your body (aorta) and onwards to the rest of the body. As a result, the left ventricle has to contract harder to push blood across the aortic valve. This eventually weakens the heart muscle and makes your heart less efficient. Surgery may be necessary. Aortic stenosis can be treated, but life-long follow-up will be needed.
- Coarctation of the aorta This is the narrowing of the largest artery in the body. When the aorta is pinched or constricted, the flow of blood to the lower part of the body is reduced and blood pressure above the constriction is increased. The heart is forced to pump harder in order to deliver enough blood to the rest of your body. Coarctation of the aorta can range from mild to severe. It usually occurs with other heart defects. The condition can be treated, but life-long follow-up will be needed.
- Patent ductus arteriosus The ductus arteriosus is a passageway for blood between the aorta and pulmonary artery that normally closes a few days after birth. If it fails to close properly, too much blood flows to the lungs. The condition is common in premature babies, but rare in full-term babies. How serious it is depends on how large the opening is and how premature the baby is. In some circumstances an open ductus is necessary for survival – where blood flow is blocked, or if the blood vessels supplying the lungs and body are switched (transposition of the great arteries).
Medication in the first few weeks of life can either close (or keep open) the ductus arteriosus. As your baby gets older and if the medication isn’t working, the ductus can be closed off using a cardiac catheterization procedure. This will restore normal circulation.
- Blue babies (cyanotic defects) When blood that is pumped from the lungs and heart to the body contains less-than-normal amounts of oxygen, it causes a blue discoloration of the skin, lips, gums, nail beds, and the areas around the eyes and mouth (cyanosis). There are several different conditions that can lead to a blue baby.
- Tetralogy of fallot is a combination of four defects that make the level of oxygen in the blood too low:
- A large hole in the wall between the two ventricles allows some oxygen-rich blood to be pumped to the right side of the heart instead of to the rest of the body through the aorta. (See ventricular septal defect above.)
- A narrowing of the pulmonary valve can block the flow of blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. (See pulmonary valve stenosis above.)
- A more-muscular-than-normal right ventricle can cause the heart muscle to become stiff over time, eventually making the heart weak (right ventricular hypertrophy).
- An aorta that lies directly over the right ventricle allows a mixture of oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood to flow into the aorta (overriding aorta).
- Transposition of the great arteries In this condition, your baby’s pulmonary artery and the aorta are reversed. Their aorta is connected to the right ventricle, so most of the blood returning to the heart from the body is pumped back out to their body without first getting oxygen from the lungs. The pulmonary artery is connected to the left ventricle, so that most of the oxygen-rich blood returning from their lungs goes back to the lungs again. The condition is often detected during the first week of life and can be corrected with surgery during your baby’s first month.
Other defects between the right and left sides of the heart often co-exist with transposition of the great arteries. An atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect or ductus arteriosus can actually help oxygenated blood circulate to the body.
- Ebstein’s anomaly The tricuspid valve controls blood flow between the right atrium and the right ventricle. Ebstein’s anomaly is a rare condition in which the tricuspid valve is located lower than normal and has abnormal flaps (leaflets). This can cause blood to leak backwards through the valve and prevent the heart from working efficiently. This causes the ventricle to be too small and the atrium to be too large. Many children with Ebstein’s anomaly have mild cases that don’t cause symptoms. If your child’s tricuspid valve is leaking badly, heart valve surgery may be necessary.
- Tetralogy of fallot is a combination of four defects that make the level of oxygen in the blood too low:
- Hypoplastic left heart syndrome Children born with this syndrome have an underdeveloped left side of their heart.
- The left ventricle is underdeveloped and too small.
- The mitral valve is not formed or too small.
- The aortic valve is not formed or too small.
- A part of the aorta (the ascending aorta) is underdeveloped or too small.
Children with this condition often have an atrial septal defect as well (see above).
- Information taken from https://www.heartandstroke.ca/heart/conditions/congenital-heart-disease
Kawasaki Disease
What is Kawasaki disease?
Kawasaki disease causes inflammation or swelling of the blood vessels. Kawasaki disease can affect any medium-sized artery in the body but primarily affects the coronary arteries. The coronary arteries are special blood vessels that carry blood and oxygen into the heart muscle. If there is a problem with the coronary arteries, the heart will not get enough blood and oxygen, making it unable to work properly.
An inflammatory disease that, among other things, affects blood vessels in the body, particularly the coronary arteries.
Diagnosis of Kawasaki disease
The diagnosis of Kawasaki disease is made when a child has at least five consecutive days of fever and at least four out of the other five symptoms mentioned above. In some cases, a child will have fewer than four symptoms. Kawasaki disease often mimics other diseases such as common childhood infections. These factors make the diagnosis of Kawasaki disease more difficult.
Kawasaki disease is a rare illness. It usually affects children under the age of five, but older children can also be affected.
Information taken from: https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article?contentid=915&language=English
Pompe Disease
Pompe disease is a rare, inherited neuromuscular disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness and loss of muscle tissue.
Pompe disease goes by many different names:
- Acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency
- Acid Maltase Deficiency (AGM)
- Glycogen Storage Disease Type 2
- Lysosomal alpha-glucosidase deficiency
Pompe disease can occur between infancy and adulthood, and affects both men and women equally. Approximately one-third of people with Pompe disease are infants (infantile-onset) while the other two thirds are children or adults (late-onset).
Pompe disease is caused by mutations in a gene that makes an enzyme called acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA). The job of this enzyme is to break down glycogen, a form of sugar stored in muscle cells throughout the body. In people with Pompe disease, this enzyme is either missing or in short supply.
The symptoms and severity of Pompe disease can vary widely from person to person. Symptoms associated with the infantile-onset form may include:
- feeding and breathing difficulties
- an enlarged heart, tongue, and liver
- inability to gain weight
- a “frog-like” leg position
- breathing problems and frequent respiratory infections
Symptoms associated with the late-onset form may include:
- chewing and swallowing difficulties
- lower back pain
- scoliosis
- frequent falls
Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) has the ability to treat the underlying cause of the disease. Though ERT is not a cure, providing the missing enzyme may slow the progression of muscle weakness and improve muscle function.
Information taken from; http://muscle.ca/discover-md/types-of-neuromuscular-disorders/
Valvular Heart Disease
What is valvular heart disease?
The heart has four chambers. The two upper chambers are called the left and right atrium, and the two lower chambers are called the left and right ventricle. The four valves at the exit of each chamber maintain one-way continuous flow of blood through the heart to the lungs and the rest of the body.
The four valves are the tricuspid valve, pulmonary valve, mitral valve and aortic valve.
- Oxygen-poor blood coming into your heart from your body flows into the right atrium. The tricuspid valve is the valve between the right atrium and the right ventricle. It opens so blood can be pumped to the right ventricle.
- The pulmonary valve controls blood flow between the right ventricle and the lungs. It opens to let the heart pumps blood out of the ventricles into the pulmonary artery toward the lungs so it can pick up oxygen. The oxygen-rich blood flows back from the lungs into the left atrium.
- The mitral valve lies between the left atrium and the left ventricle. It opens so the oxygen-rich blood from the left atrium can be pumped into the left ventricle.
- The aortic valve controls blood flow from the left ventricle into the aorta (the main artery in your body). When this valve opens, the oxygen-rich blood is pumped to the aorta and then out to fuel the rest of your body.
In between each step, the valve closes to prevent blood from flowing backwards and mixing oxygen-poor blood with oxygen-rich blood. The one-way continuous flow of blood delivers oxygen throughout your body.
Heart valve disease occurs when one or more of the heart valves do not open or close properly. When it affects more than one heart valve, it is called multiple valvular heart disease.
- Stenosis is when the valve opening becomes narrow and restricts blood flow.
- Prolapse is when a valve slips out of place or the valve flaps (leaflets) do not close properly.
- Regurgitation is when blood leaks backward through a valve, sometimes due to prolapse.
Heart valve disease can be classified as mild, moderate or severe. It can lead to an enlarged heart or heart failure. Heart failure is a serious medical condition where the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s need for oxygen.
Many valvular heart diseases can be treated with medication, or surgery and other procedures to repair or replace the valve.
The four valves are the tricuspid valve, pulmonary valve, mitral valve and aortic valve.
- Oxygen-poor blood coming into your heart from your body flows into the right atrium. The tricuspid valve is the valve between the right atrium and the right ventricle. It opens so blood can be pumped to the right ventricle.
- The pulmonary valve controls blood flow between the right ventricle and the lungs. It opens to let the heart pumps blood out of the ventricles into the pulmonary artery toward the lungs so it can pick up oxygen. The oxygen-rich blood flows back from the lungs into the left atrium.
- The mitral valve lies between the left atrium and the left ventricle. It opens so the oxygen-rich blood from the left atrium can be pumped into the left ventricle.
- The aortic valve controls blood flow from the left ventricle into the aorta (the main artery in your body). When this valve opens, the oxygen-rich blood is pumped to the aorta and then out to fuel the rest of your body.
In between each step, the valve closes to prevent blood from flowing backwards and mixing oxygen-poor blood with oxygen-rich blood. The one-way continuous flow of blood delivers oxygen throughout your body.
Heart valve disease occurs when one or more of the heart valves do not open or close properly. When it affects more than one heart valve, it is called multiple valvular heart disease.
- Stenosis is when the valve opening becomes narrow and restricts blood flow.
- Prolapse is when a valve slips out of place or the valve flaps (leaflets) do not close properly.
- Regurgitation is when blood leaks backward through a valve, sometimes due to prolapse.
Heart valve disease can be classified as mild, moderate or severe. It can lead to an enlarged heart or heart failure. Heart failure is a serious medical condition where the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s need for oxygen.
Many valvular heart diseases can be treated with medication, or surgery and other procedures to repair or replace the valve.
Information taken from https://www.heartandstroke.ca/heart/conditions/valvular-heart-disease
Tilt Table Test
Why is a tilt-table exam done?Tilt tests are especially useful if you have been fainting without any explanation. These tests help doctors understand how your body posture affects your blood pressure. The goal is to find out if different drugs or different body positions will trigger an arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat) or symptoms.
Information take from https://www.heartandstroke.ca/heart/tests/tilt-table-exam
Click HERE to learn more about a tilt table test/exam
Echocardiogram
What is an Echocardiogram?
Echo is the short way of saying echocardiogram. An echo is another test that lets doctors see inside your body. The echo is special since it only takes pictures of your heart. It can show the shape and size of your heart. Just like the name, the echo uses sound waves to take the pictures; it bounces invisible sound waves off of your heart to create a picture of what it looks like. You will not feel or hear these sound waves in your body.
Why do I need to have an Echo?
The doctor needs to see a picture of your heart and the best way to take the picture is to use the echo machine. A regular X-Ray cannot see the heart, so an echo has to be used.
What does an Echo look like?
An echo machine looks like a computer. The technologist (the person taking the picture) uses a smooth flat wand and a special gel to take the picture. The gel and wand lets the computer hear the sound waves from your heart. Once the pictures have been taken, they are printed and shown to the radiologist. He is a special doctor who looks at the pictures.
What happens when I have an Echo?
A porter will come to bring you to the special room to have the echo. A technologist (the person who will take the pictures) will greet you and explain what will happen.
The technologist will give you a gown to wear, this looks like a backward housecoat, you may already be wearing one. You will lie down on a bed beside the computer. The technologist usually turns the lights down so that they can see the pictures on the computer better. Next the technologist will put gel on your chest over the area where your heart is. He or she will move the smooth, flat wand on your skin where the gel is. The wand is attached to the computer. While the technologist moves the wand over your chest, you will be able to see a wavy and fuzzy image on the screen. While the technologist is moving the wand, he or she will also be touching buttons on the computer keyboard.
It is important to remember to stay still, if you move a lot, the picture will not be clear and the test will take longer. The test is usually short and takes about 15-30 minutes. Once the pictures are done, they will be printed off to show the doctor. The technologist will wipe the gel off with a soft towel and then you will be able to go back to your room.
What will the Echo feel like?
The echo will not hurt. The gel may feel a little cool and sticky. The wand may press down onto your skin a little bit, but it will not hurt. Remember to lie still so that the technologist can get a clear picture. Thinking about your favourite thing to do may help you stay still.
Preparing for the test
Your nurse will give you the information you need to help you get ready to have your echo. Sometimes you may have to do nothing to get ready.
Remember
If you have any questions about the test, always ask!
Valvular Stenosis
Anatomy of the Heart
The heart has four chambers. The two upper chambers are called the left and right atriums, and the two lower chambers are called the left and right ventricles. There is a valve at the exit of each chamber that ensures one-way continuous flow of blood through the heart.
The four valves are the tricuspid valve, pulmonary valve, mitral valve and aortic valve. These valves open and close to prevent blood from flowing backwards.
Stenosis
Stenosis is when the valve opening becomes narrow and restricts blood flow.
Causes
Valvular heart disease can develop before or at birth (congenital causes) or normal valves may become damaged during one’s lifetime (acquired causes). The cause of valvular heart disease is not always known.
Symptoms
Many people do not notice any symptoms until their blood flow has been significantly reduced by valvular heart disease. Symptoms can include:
If you don’t have many symptoms or if they are mild and not affecting you too much, your doctor may choose to monitor your condition carefully and wait until it is necessary to treat your symptoms. It is important to understand that the symptoms of valvular heart disease may not necessarily reflect the seriousness of the problem. Regular check-ups are recommended.
Treatment
Treatment will depend on the severity of your disease! If it’s minor, you may not need treatment at all. You and your doctor will discuss your options based on your condition.
Options include: