Causes of congenital heart disease

• Genetic causes like chromosomal abnormalities like trisomies 21, 13 and trisomy 18.
• Environmental factors like maternal infections like rubella
• Drugs like alcohol, hydantoin, lithium, thalidomide
• Maternal illness like diabetes mellitus, phenylketonuria, systemic lupus erythematous.

Types of congenital heart disease

• Hypoplastic heart disease
• Obstructive heart disease
• Septal defects
• Cyanotic heart disease
• Other defects like Ebstein’s anamoly, Brugada syndrome, Marfan syndrome, DigGeorge syndrome

Other method of classification

• Cyanotic heart disease
• Acyanotic or non cyanotic heart disease

Symptoms and signs

• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Syncope
• Sweating
• Cyanosis
• Respiratory infections
• Poor growth
• Poor development of limbs
• Poor development of muscles
• Fluid buildup in the lungs
• Swelling of legs, feet and ankles
• Heart murmurs

Treatment of congenital heart disease

• Medications like diuretics, digoxin.
• Surgical procedures