Congenital Heart Defect

Carnitine supplement may improve survival rates of children with heart defects

A common nutritional supplement may be part of the magic in improving the survival rates of babies born with heart defects, researchers report.

Pediatrics created May 08, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

One-year survival up for critical congenital heart defects

(HealthDay)—For infants with critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs), one-year survival has improved over time, with an increased risk of mortality associated with earlier diagnosis, low birth weight, ...

Pediatrics created Apr 22, 2013 | popularity 3.5 / 5 (2) | comments 1

Scientists scan the human heart to create digital anatomical library

On April 18th JoVE (Journal of Visualized Experiments) will publish a new video article by Dr. Paul A Iaizzo demonstrating the anatomical reconstruction of an active human heart. The research uses contrast-computed tomography (C ...

Medical research created Apr 18, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Stress during pregnancy may raise heart defect risk for baby

(HealthDay)—Stress in mothers before and during pregnancy may boost the risk of congenital heart defects in their children, more new evidence suggests. But the findings aren't conclusive, and the effect—if ...

Pediatrics created Mar 25, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Potential early indicator of kidney injury identified

A guidance cue that helps kidneys form may also be a red flag that they are in danger, researchers report.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created Mar 12, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Congenital heart defects could have their origin during very early pregnancy

The origins of congenital heart defects could be traced right back to the first stages of embryonic development, according to University of East Anglia (UEA) research.

Cardiology created Dec 13, 2012 | popularity 1 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Biocompatible patch heals infants with birth defects (w/ video)

(Medical Xpress)—A painstaking effort to create a biocompatible patch to heal infant hearts is paying off at Rice University and Texas Children's Hospital.

Medical research created Dec 12, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (4) | comments 6 | with audio podcast

Rebuilding a whole heart for children born with only half of one

Using a combination of surgical procedures developed over the last 11 years, surgeons at Boston Children's Hospital have established a new approach for rebuilding the heart in children born with a severe heart defect called ...

Cardiology created Nov 06, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Chicago-area hospitals collaborate to form first network for adults with congenital heart disease

Seven major academic medical centers and teaching hospitals in the Chicago area have joined together to form the Chicago Adult Congenital Heart Network (CATCH), which is the first patient-centered, inter-institutional network ...

Cardiology created Oct 15, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Scientists map the genomic blueprint of the heart

Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have revealed the precise order and timing of hundreds of genetic "switches" required to construct a fully functional heart from embryonic heart cells—providing new ...

Medical research created Sep 13, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

First pediatric study to look at the role of vitamin D in critical illness

Vitamin D is increasingly being recognized as important for good health. Vitamin D is a hormone made in the skin following sun exposure or acquired from diet and supplement intake. Previous medical research has shown that ...

Pediatrics created Sep 12, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Neonatal heart stem cells may help mend kids' broken hearts

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, who are exploring novel ways to treat serious heart problems in children, have conducted the first direct comparison of the regenerative abilities of neonatal ...

Cardiology created Sep 10, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Supercomputers solve riddle of congenital heart defects

About 25,000 Danes currently live with congenital heart defects. Both heredity and environment play a role for these malformations, but exactly how various risk factors influence the development of the heart during pregnancy ...

Cardiology created Aug 13, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Lack of nationwide surveillance may lead to clusters of congenital anomalies going unnoticed

One baby in every 45 was born with a congenital anomaly in 2010 according to the second annual report by the British Isles Network of Congenital Anomaly Registers (BINOCAR), released today (Thursday).

Health created Aug 01, 2012 | popularity 1 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Study shows benefits of cochlear implants in deaf babies with developmental delays

(Medical Xpress) -- Doctors should reconsider the common practice of avoiding the use of cochlear implants in deaf children with developmental delays, according to a new study from the Stanford University ...

Psychology & Psychiatry created Aug 01, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast


A congenital heart defect (CHD) is a defect in the structure of the heart and great vessels which is present at birth. Many types of heart defects exist, most of which either obstruct blood flow in the heart or vessels near it, or cause blood to flow through the heart in an abnormal pattern. Other defects, such as long QT syndrome, affect the heart's rhythm. Heart defects are among the most common birth defects and are the leading cause of birth defect-related deaths. Approximately 9 people in 1000 are born with a congenital heart defect. Many defects don't need treatment, but some complex congenital heart defects require medication or surgery.

This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.

Latest Spotlight News

If you can remember it, you can remember it wrong

(Medical Xpress)—Native peoples in regions where cameras are uncommon sometimes react with caution when their picture is taken. The fear that something must have been stolen from them to create the photo ...

B vitamins could delay dementia

(Medical Xpress)—Despite spending billions of dollars on research and development, drug companies have been unable to come up with effective treatments for dementia and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Now, A. ...

New sleeping pill poised to hit US markets

An experimental sleeping pill from US drug company Merck is effective at helping people fall and stay asleep, according to reviewers at the US Food and Drug Administration, which could soon approve the new drug.

Reducing caloric intake delays nerve cell loss

Activating an enzyme known to play a role in the anti-aging benefits of calorie restriction delays the loss of brain cells and preserves cognitive function in mice, according to a study published in the May ...

Insight into the dazzling impact of insulin in cells

Australian scientists have charted the path of insulin action in cells in precise detail like never before. This provides a comprehensive blueprint for understanding what goes wrong in diabetes.

Antidepressant reduces stress-induced heart condition

A drug commonly used to treat depression and anxiety may improve a stress-related heart condition in people with stable coronary heart disease, according to researchers at Duke Medicine.

Drugs found to both prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease in mice

Researchers at USC have found that a class of pharmaceuticals can both prevent and treat Alzheimer's Disease in mice.

Enrichment therapy effective among children with autism, study finds

Children with autism showed significant improvement after six months of simple sensory exercises at home using everyday items such as scents, spoons and sponges, according to UC Irvine neurobiologists.

Study finds vitamin C can kill drug-resistant TB (w/ video)

In a striking, unexpected discovery, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have determined that vitamin C kills drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) bacteria in laboratory culture. The finding ...

Common food supplement fights degenerative brain disorders

Widely available in pharmacies and health stores, phosphatidylserine is a natural food supplement produced from beef, oysters, and soy. Proven to improve cognition and slow memory loss, it's a popular treatment for older ...