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Congenital heart disease history and symptoms

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, MBBS [2], Keri Shafer, M.D. [3], Atif Mohammad, M.D.; Assistant Editor-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [4]; Kalsang Dolma, M.B.B.S.[5]

Overview

Overview

Patients with congenital heart disease may experience symptom onset during infancy, childhood and even latent symptoms in adulthood. Common symptoms include heart failure, cyanosis, pulmonary hypertension, chest pain, infective endocarditis, tachypnea, tachycardia, and cardiomegaly.

History

History

Maternal History

  • Maternal diabetes increase the risk of neonatal congenital heart disease
  • Maternal fever with rash
  • Smoking in the first trimester
  • Ingestion of drugs
  • Assisted reproductive therapy

Family History

  • History of congenital heart disease in first degree relative increases the risk by three fold
Symptoms

Symptoms

Most defects cause a whispering sound, or murmur, as blood moves through the heart causing some of these symptoms. All of these symptoms occur at a young age of a child or infant and are typically found during a physical examination.

References

References

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