Which is the most common type of congenital heart defect in infants?

Pediatric Cardiology is a branch of medical science that deals with defects or diseases of the heart in children. With the population and birth rate of India in mind, it might not be shocking to know that the incidence of congenital diseases, or heart problems that children are born with, is increasing at an alarming rate.

What is even more alarming is the fact that there is little to no knowledge about these conditions in the populace, especially in urban India. The rural areas are still untouched by many miracles of modern science, which is why the mortality rate of children with congenital heart diseases makes complete sense. So what are these congenital heart diseases that are becoming the bane of young lives? Can they be treated after a timely diagnosis?

This blog discusses the most common congenital heart diseases and their treatment options in detail.

Common Congenital Heart Diseases with their Treatments

●       Ventricular Septal Defect

The lower chamber of the heart is called the ventricle, which is then divided into 2 parts, the right and left ventricles, by a wall of cardiac muscles. A ventricular septal defect is a hole in the wall of the ventricle. Diagnosed by a murmuring sound in the heartbeats, VSDs often put the babies at risk of congestive heart failure.

Treatment: For larger holes, the doctors treat the baby to close the defect within four to six months of birth. The surgeons sew a patch over the hole from the right ventricle, which is then integrated into the muscles of the heart. This resolves the problem with no need for any further treatment.

●       Atrial Septal Defect

The atrium is the upper chamber of the heart, divided into 2 parts, the right and left atriums. The Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) is an abnormal hole in the wall of the atrium in the heart and is often asymptomatic, which means that they occur without any symptoms.

Treatment: About 80% of the cases of ASD close on their own as the infant progresses into childhood. In the Secundum of ASD, the hole is closed through catheterization, where the child only has to stay in the hospital for a night. The other 3 types of ASD require a one-time surgery with no further intervention required.

●       Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)

A combination of 4 different heart conditions, Tetralogy of Fallot causes oxygen-poor blood to flow out of the heart and into the rest of the body. Diagnosed in the fetus, or immediately after birth, TOF is often accompanied by symptoms like bluish skin, rapid breathing, fainting, and a heart murmur.

Treatment: Surgery is important for children suffering from TOF, which is usually done at the age of 6 months. This involves placing a stent in the right ventricular outflow tract, alongside placing a tube between the aorta and the right pulmonary artery. Patients may need further surgeries as they age, which is mostly a pulmonary valve replacement.

●       Single Ventricle Defects

An abnormality of the heart where instead of 2 there is only 1 ventricle in the heart. In infants, this condition is often coupled by lower oxygen levels and blue skin, also known as cyanosis.

Treatment: Because of a missing ventricle, children have to go through a number of surgeries to reroute the oxygen-poor blood to the lungs. Even with an 85% success rate, these children will require a mechanical implant in the heart muscle or a transplant later in life because of having a single ventricle.

Apart from these common conditions, there are several others like Pulmonary Valve Stenosis, Aortic Valve Stenosis, Patent ductus arteriosus, and Dextro-transposition of the great arteries. For more information, you can consult Dr Himanshu Tyagi, the leading pediatric cardiologist doctor in Jodhpur. He is a consultant at the Pediatric Cardiology Department of Medipulse Hospital and has performed more than 250 surgeries on children suffering from Congenital Heart Diseases. Book an appointment, now.

Heart Diseases and Health in Women: What You Should Know About It

Heart disease is a broad term, very commonly interchangeably used for cardiovascular diseases. Heart or cardiovascular disease includes coronary heart diseases, high blood pressure, cardiac arrest, heart failure, arrhythmia, congenital heart diseases, peripheral artery diseases, and many other diseases.

In India and around the globe, heart diseases are commonly believed to affect men more in comparison to women. However, it is a misconception that many types of research have proved wrong. In India, statistics suggest that the number of women dying from heart diseases has increased exponentially, in comparison to men.

In women, unlike men, heart disease does not show serious symptoms. However, fatigue, nausea, chest discomfort, and short breath are some common signs that women experiencing heart disease observe. Since these symptoms are common and are ignored in most cases.

So in this blog, we bring you a few key facts that are related to female health and heart diseases. Go through them and prevent yourself or your loved ones from life-threatening diseases at the right time.

Risks Factor Leading To Heart Diseases among Women:

Heart diseases are sometimes an outcome of many other medical conditions affecting the overall health of females. While specialists have observed that heart diseases are not commonly caused due to any one of the risks given below, it is observed that a combination of multiple conditions may lead to it. So, here is a list of medical conditions that can lead to heart diseases among females.              

●       Diabetes

●       Smoking Habit

●       Pregnancy Complications

●       Depression

●       Stress

●       Menopause

●       Inflammatory Diseases

●       Sedentary Lifestyle

These medical conditions lead to hormonal imbalance in the body, exerting excessive pressure on the heart.

How To Reduce The Risk Of Heart Diseases In Women:

The risk of heart diseases mentioned above can be controlled by mitigating the risk factors given above. Some of the ways to delay or control heart diseases among females include:

●       Keep A Check On Blood Pressure

●       Keep Your Cholesterol Levels Under Control

●       Maintain A Healthy Weight

●       Limit Alcohol Consumption

●       Restrict Smoking

●       Manage Stress

●       Keep Diabetes Under Control

●       Sleep Well, Reduce Stress, Exercise Regularly

A healthy lifestyle is a solution to all medical conditions leading to major heart diseases. Eat healthily, exercise well and manage stress are among the top three solutions suggested by specialists to heart patients.

Just as it is commonly said for every medical problem, “Precaution is better than cure,” it is the case with heart diseases too. Early diagnosis of heart disease can prevent serious problems in the future.

A wise decision in such cases is to visit a cardiologist if one or a few symptoms of heart problems are visible. To provide the best consultation, the team of cardiologists in Jodhpur at Medipulse Hospital is available on appointment booking. The team of specialists at Medipulse Hospital includes experienced professionals like Dr Vineet Jain and Dr Bharat Rathi. Call today and book an appointment for a healthy heart for a lifetime! 

7 Evidence-Based Ways To Prevent Cardiovascular Diseases

For years, medical researchers have been stating that heart and cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world. Not only that; but heart diseases have also been the leading cause of disability and paralysis in the world. With an open war front against heart diseases, the world is slowly moving towards living a healthy lifestyle and ensuring that issues like these do not become the cause of a person’s happiness disappearing into medical bills.

This is why one of the best ways to save someone’s life and save the money that goes into treatment costs and medicines is to prevent heart diseases from occurring in the first place. So here are 9 effective prevention and control factors for cardiovascular diseases that are based in research.

How to Prevent Cardiovascular Diseases Through Lifestyle Changes?

● Avoid Smoking and Tobacco: Smoking tobacco or using smokeless tobacco is the worst thing that a heart can be put through. Even for people who do not smoke, secondhand smoke can be a pain point. The chemicals in tobacco can be a serious risk factor towards the heart and the blood vessels.

● Activity: Regular physical activity on a daily basis can significantly reduce the risk of not only cardiovascular diseases but also a number of other conditions that may result from or may be the cause of heart diseases as well. Aiming for at least 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity can go a long way in maintaining the health of the heart.

● Eating Healthy: The body requires a certain amount of nutrients every day which are transported through the bloodstream to different parts of the body. While some foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, lean meats, fish, whole grain, and low-fat dairy and oils are proven to be great for the heart, an increased intake of salt, sugar, processed carbohydrates, alcohol, and saturated fat can deal huge damages to the heart and the body.

● Weight Management: Being overweight is the leading cause of heart diseases in the world. Obesity often comes with several other problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes; these are often the biggest cause of cardiovascular diseases.

● Sleep Management: Sleeping less than required has bigger problems than just making a person yawn through-out the day. Lack of sleep can cause a number of issues, which also includes heart attacks. Adults need at least 7 hours of sleep every day to function properly. However, if a person who gets enough sleep and still feels tired through the day, he/she must immediately see a doctor for sleep apnea, which is also a cause of cardiovascular diseases, as it caused excessive pressure on the heart.

● Stress Management: Stress is when the body’s systems cannot cope up with the demands that are being put up against it, be it physical, mental, or emotional. And the easiest method people tend to cope up with stress is by developing harmful habits like overeating, drinking, or smoking, all of which are leading causes of heart diseases.

● Blood Pressure: Blood pressure is the amount of force that the blood exerts on the walls of the blood vessels in the body. A high blood pressure can put the person at a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases as the heart has to work extra to pump the blood through the body.

With heart diseases becoming more common by the day, especially inflicting young individuals in their prime, the need of the hour has shifted towards creating a better and healthier lifestyle. For maintaining your health as you go about your life, consult an expert cardiologist in Jodhpur at Medipulse Hospital. Live your life to the fullest without letting the risk of heart diseases anywhere near you, as you make the choice about how you want to live with Medipulse.