What causes congenital heart disease?
Congenital heart disease is caused when something disrupts the normal development of the heart. It’s thought that most cases occur when something affects the heart’s development during the first 6 weeks of pregnancy.
What is the most common cause of congenital heart disease?
Most cases of congenital heart defect have no known cause. But some types of congenital heart defects occur more often when the mother comes in contact with some types of substances in the first few weeks of pregnancy. This is the time when the baby’s heart is growing.
What are the long term effects of congenital heart disease?
Heart failure, endocarditis, arrhythmias and pulmonary hypertension are the most common long term complications of adults with CHD. Adults with CHD benefit from tertiary expert care and early recognition of long-term complications and timely management are essential.
What are risk factors for congenital heart diseases?
Certain environmental and genetic risk factors might play a role in the development of congenital heart disease, including:
- Your genes. Congenital heart disease appears to run in families (inherited) and is associated with many genetic syndromes.
- German measles (rubella).
- Diabetes.
- Medications.
- Alcohol.
- Smoking.
What are the 5 major causes of heart disease?
Risk factors
- Age. Growing older increases your risk of damaged and narrowed arteries and a weakened or thickened heart muscle.
- Sex. Men are generally at greater risk of heart disease.
- Family history.
- Smoking.
- Poor diet.
- High blood pressure.
- High blood cholesterol levels.
- Diabetes.
What causes damage to the heart?
Heart muscle damage can have many causes, including certain diseases, infection, heavy alcohol use, and the toxic effect of drugs, such as cocaine or some drugs used for chemotherapy. Genetic factors also can play a role. Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis).
What does heart disease cause?
Symptoms of heart disease in your blood vessels Plaque buildup causes narrowed or blocked blood vessels that can lead to a heart attack, chest pain (angina) or stroke. Coronary artery disease symptoms may be different for men and women. For instance, men are more likely to have chest pain.
What are the primary factors that affect heart disease?
These are called risk factors. About half of all Americans (47%) have at least 1 of 3 key risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Some risk factors for heart disease cannot be controlled, such as your age or family history.
How does heart disease affect the heart?
Heart disease can also affect your heart valves. Your valves may become too narrow to allow blood to flow forward, which can cause blood to flow backward into the heart. Heart valve problems can make you feel light-headed and fatigued. They can also cause chest pain and shortness of breath.