Signs and symptoms of congenital heart disease do not show up until late adulthood. Many children may have heart defects, but would not present with any symptoms. In certain cases, adults who have had congenital heart defects can experience some of the following symptoms later in life [8]:

• Shortness of breath
• Arrhythmias
• Onset of edema
• Development of cyanosis
• Dizziness 

• Congestive Heart Failure

  In acyanotic defects, congestive heart failure is the most common symptom. [aafp.org]

  Abbreviations: ASD: atrial septal defect AVSD: atrioventricular septal defect CHD: congenital heart disease CHF: congestive heart failure CoA: coarctation of the aorta EKG: electrocardiogram HLHS: hypoplastic left heart syndrome IAA: interrupted aortic [pedsinreview.aappublications.org]

  Synonyms for congenital heart disease noun disease of the heart angina congestive heart failure cardiac infarction coronary thrombosis ischemic heart disease myocardial infarction Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip [thesaurus.com]

  The Pink Infant: Pediatric Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) Heart failure usually presents with a ‘pink’ relatively well-perfused and oxygenated infant 1 to 6 months of age. Always consider CHF in the wheezing child! [emergencymedicinecases.com]

  This usually happens between 2-6 weeks of life and causes manifestation of left to right shunts in the form of congestive heart failure. [annals.in]

• Trisomy 21

  Associations Congenital cardiac anomalies can be found with many aneuploidic conditions which include: trisomy 18 : up to 90% can have cardiac anomalies trisomy 13 : up to 90% trisomy 21 : up to 50% Turner syndrome : up to 40% Related Radiopaedia articles [radiopaedia.org]

  Some of these include the following: Down syndrome (trisomy 21) Trisomy 18 and trisomy 13 Turner's syndrome Cri-du-chat syndrome Wolf-Hirshhorn syndrome DiGeorge syndrome (22q11) Chromosome analysis can be done from a small blood sample to look for a [lpch.org]

  Seite 9 - UK multicentre project on assessment of risk of trisomy 21 by maternal age and fetal nuchal-translucency thickness at 10-14 weeks of gestation. ‎ [books.google.de]

  The most common known causes of CHD are sporadic genetic changes that typically involve the addition of segments or focal mutations of DNA. 5-8% of the cases are caused by large chromosomal abnormalities such as trisomies 21, 13, and 18. [docdoc.com.sg]

  […] view=article&catid=68%3AHeart&id=89%3Aatrial-septal-defect&option=com_content&Itemid=117 Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 2006, Heart-Related Syndromes Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21), viewed on 11 April 2009, http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org [downsyndrome.nacd.org]

• Failure to Thrive

  We report the case of a 3,5 month-old infant presented at cardiology consultation of our institution for investigation of a heart murmur associated with failure to thrive and respiratory distress. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

  Surgery may be needed if there is failure to thrive despite medication, or concern about pulmonary hypertension. If a large VSD is present, surgery is almost always recommended. [downsyndrome.nacd.org]

  GERD also shares a number of symptoms experienced by infants with congenital heart disease such as weight loss and failure to thrive due to vomiting or poor intake of calories, as well as chronic respiratory or breathing symptoms such as cough, asthma [coliccalm.com]

  […] to thrive (weight loss or failure to gain weight) abnormal heart murmur sweating, especially during feedings a weaker pulse If you notice any of these signs in your baby or child, call your doctor right away. [kidshealth.org]

• Heart Disease

  Some examples of cardiovascular diseases include ischemic heart disease, heart valve disease, cardiomyopathies, peripheral artery disease, congenital heart disease, and vascular disease of the kidneys. This study is located in Bethesda, Maryland. [nhlbi.nih.gov]

• Cyanosis

  KEYWORDS: Late diagnosis; cyanosis; polycythaemia; pulmonary vascular disease [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

  Babies who have congenital heart defects may have cyanosis and/or tire easily when feeding. As a result, they may not gain weight or grow as they should. [web.archive.org]

  These babies truncus arteriosus have cyanosis in proportion to how hard it is to get blood into the lungs. [pediatrics.wisc.edu]

• Heart Murmur

  Heart defects can cause abnormal blood flow through the heart that will make a certain sound called a heart murmur. Your doctor can hear a heart murmur with a stethoscope. However, not all murmurs are signs of congenital heart defects. [web.archive.org]

  We report the case of a 3,5 month-old infant presented at cardiology consultation of our institution for investigation of a heart murmur associated with failure to thrive and respiratory distress. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

  After birth, congenital heart disease is often first detected when the doctor hears an abnormal heart sound or heart murmur when listening to the heart. [childrensheartfoundation.org]

  See also separate Heart Murmurs in Children article: Not all murmurs are pathological. Murmurs heard in the first week to months of life are more likely to be due to congenital heart disease than those discovered in later childhood years. [patient.info]

The following diagnostic tests are employed for detecting congenital heart disease:

• Electrocardiogram: This is required for measuring electrical signals of the heart. The type of pattern exhibited in the results can detect various types of heart defects [9].
• Echocardiogram: This method makes use of sound waves for detecting heart abnormalities:
• Imaging studies: Imaging studies such as CT scan and MRI are also indicated in diagnosing congenital heart defect.
• Cardiac catheterization: Such a kind of test is done to measure the blood flow to the heart and the pressure in its chambers.
• Stress test: Stress test is performed in order to evaluate heart rate, blood pressure and electrical activity of the heart during periods of stress such as exercise. 

• Treatment of congenital heart disease depends on severity of the condition. Mild form of the disease seldom requires any treatment. In such cases, medications may help the heart function more efficiently. 
• In more advanced cases, pacemakers may have to be implanted for controlling arrhythmias. In addition, cardioverter defibrillator can also be implanted for preventing the complications from setting in.
• Catheters can be used for repairing heart defects without the need for surgery. In conditions, when catheters are of little use, then open heart surgery is opted for. When no procedures seem to work, and the condition of the individual is very serious, then heart transplantation is the last resort.

With advancements in medical treatment, children born with congenital defect can now successfully survive the condition and lead a healthy life. However, adults with congenital heart disease need to be careful and follow certain precautionary measures. Failure to do so can cause development of serious complications. Regular monitoring is necessary throughout the life. In many instances, congenital heart defects are not diagnosed during infancy, which can be a cause of significant disability as the person ages [6, 7].

Interplay of genetic and environmental factors give rise to condition of congenital heart disease. Genetic changes characterized by focal mutations and/or deletion or addition of DNA segments are the major cause that trigger development of anatomical defects in the heart during fetal development. Large chromosomal abnormalities including trisomies 13, 21 and 18 are known to contribute in 5 – 8% cases of congenital heart defects.

In addition to genetic defects, various antenatal factors such as alcohol abuse, smoking, drug overdose and maternal diseases including diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus and phenylketonuria also significantly contribute to development of congenital heart disease. Several studies have also pointed towards a strong association between maternal obesity and development of congenital heart disease [2, 3].

Congenital heart disease is most common cause of mortality and was associated with 223,000 deaths across the globe in the year 2010. The incidence of mortality has however decreased since the year 1990, owing to advancements in medical treatments that has enabled children to survive the disease [4].

Statistics have revealed that about 8 – 10 out of every 1000 children are affected by congenital heart defects. It was also estimated that about 500, 000 adults in USA have suffered congenital heart disease during childhood.

Heart defects take place during fetal development. In the first months of gestation, the heart begins to beat, though the heart is not fully developed at this stage. During the later stages, all the 4 chambers of the heart develop and at this point anomalies can arise. Genetic mutations at this stage or environmental factors can cause such type of structural anomalies to develop.
On the 28th day of development, failure of the endocardial cushions to fuse results in development of heart defect. Such a type of event causes the blood to leak into the chambers. All these events favor the development of congenital heart disease [5].

Avoiding alcohol consumption and smoking during pregnancy can help prevent development of congenital heart disease. Effective management of underlying disease conditions such as diabetes and hypertension can also go a long way in preventing the risk of heart defects during fetal development. Regular health checkups would be indicated to prevent complications from setting in [10].

It is considered to be one of the most common types of congenital defect. Several advances in medical treatment have allowed children with congenital heart disease to survive the condition and lead a healthy life. However, such children do need additional care during their growing up years and also when they reach adulthood. This is because, if care and precautions are not seriously followed, it can give rise to various complications later in life [1].

• Definition: Congenital heart diseases are heart defects present during fetal development. It is one of the most common forms of birth defects that is a cause of mortality amongst the affected population.
• Cause: Various environmental and genetic factors lead to development of congenital heart defects. Smoking, alcohol consumption and exposure to drugs during pregnancy are known to increase the risk of heart defect during fetal growth. Genetic mutations also cause congenital heart defects.
• Symptoms: In preliminary stages, congenital heart defects seldom produce any symptoms. When the disease progresses to more advanced stages, individuals experience shortness in breath, arrhythmia, cyanosis, dizziness, tiredness after physical exertion and onset of edema.
• Diagnosis: Physical examination would reveal abnormal heart rhythms indicating need for further diagnosis. Other tests include echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, and chest x-ray, imaging studies, cardiac catheterization and stress test during exercise.
• Treatment: Mild form of heart defect does not require any treatment. In such cases, medications may be sufficient to allow normal functioning of heart. Implantable devices such as pacemakers and cardioverter defibrillator would be required to normalize the blood flow and prevent associated complications from developing. Open heart surgery or heart transplant may be required when other treatment methods fail.

1. Danford DA, McNamara DG. Infants with congenital heart disease in the first year of life. In: The Science and Practice of Pediatric Cardiology, Garson A, Bricker JT, Fisher DJ, Neish SR (Eds), Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore 1998. p.2228.
2. Alverson CJ, Strickland MJ, Gilboa SM, Correa A. Maternal smoking and congenital heart defects in the Baltimore-Washington Infant Study. Pediatrics 2011; 127:e647.
3. Cohen LS, Friedman JM, Jefferson JW, et al. A re-evaluation of risk of in utero exposure to lithium. JAMA 1994; 271:146.
4. Boneva RS, Botto LD, Moore CA, et al. Mortality associated with congenital heart defects in the United States: trends and racial disparities, 1979-1997. Circulation 2001; 103:2376.
5. Talner CN. Report of the New England Regional Infant Cardiac Program, by Donald C. Fyler, MD, Pediatrics, 1980;65(suppl):375-461. Pediatrics 1998; 102:258.
6. Kuehl KS, Loffredo CA, Ferencz C. Failure to diagnose congenital heart disease in infancy. Pediatrics 1999; 103:743.
7. Liberman RF, Getz KD, Lin AE, et al. Delayed diagnosis of critical congenital heart defects: trends and associated factors. Pediatrics 2014; 134:e373.
8. Wren C, Richmond S, Donaldson L. Presentation of congenital heart disease in infancy: implications for routine examination. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed 1999; 80:F49.
9. Garson A. The electrocardiogram in infants and children: a systematic approach, Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia 1983.
10. Liu S, Joseph KS, Lisonkova S, et al. Association between maternal chronic conditions and congenital heart defects: a population-based cohort study. Circulation 2013; 128:583.