Diagnostic Testing
Congenital heart disease is often diagnosed during infancy, and sometimes even before birth. Some defects, however, are harder to detect and may not be identified until late childhood or even adulthood.
Severe heart problems tend to be evident during the few months after birth, when affected babies may have blue skin, low blood pressure, difficulty breathing, feeding problems or poor weight gain. Minor defects may be detected during routine checkups or not even until adulthood.
If congenital heart disease is suspected, during childhood or adulthood, your cardiologist will start by collecting a detailed medical history and performing a physical exam. If warranted, other tests include:
Your surgeon gently guides a long, thin tube (catheter) to your heart by way of a blood vessel. The procedure can be done to evaluate blood flow and blood pressure in your heart.
Detailed images of your heart and chest are created using X-rays and computer technology.
Routine monitoring is critical to ensure that your heart is working as it should be. Your ongoing evaluation will include echocardiograms to monitor your heart’s structures and blood flow, and electrocardiograms (EKGs) to watch your heart’s electrical activity.
This is similar to the cardiac CT scan, but it uses powerful magnets and radio waves.
This can show changes in the size and shape of the heart and lungs.
Sound waves are used to make images of your moving heart. The test can show blood flow through your heart and valves.
This painless test examines the heart’s electrical signals to identify irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias).
Your blood oxygen level is measured by a small sensor attached to a finger.
These tests measure how your heart responds to physical activity, including exercise.
Treatment
Our multidisciplinary team will work closely with you to develop a lifelong treatment plan to help you manage congenital heart disease and any related conditions. Among the treatment options:
Medications may be needed to help control the side effects of congenital heart disease. For example, if you have Eisenmenger syndrome, you may need specialized drugs to manage pulmonary hypertension.
This procedure uses a thin, flexible tube (catheter) to reach the heart by way of a blood vessel. During the procedure, your surgeon can treat some heart conditions, including clogged arteries and irregular heartbeats.
Open-heart surgeries require a long incision down the center of your chest to open the breastbone and access your heart.
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