|
|
| Congenital Heart Defects |
Approximately one in 10 or 12 children are born with a congenital heart defect. Congenital heart defects include a number of conditions. There are hundreds of types and making a precise diagnosis requires expertise and experience. The common heart defects include:
- Holes or communications in the heart or great vessels: Examples of such holes in the heart include: atrial septal defect (ASD), ventricular septal defect (VSD), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
- Conditions resulting in the child becoming a blue baby: These conditions are also known as cyanotic heart defects. Common examples include tetralogy of Fallot’s (TOF) and transposition (TGA).
- Congenital narrowing of heart valves or vessels: Examples include congenital narrowing of the pulmonary or aortic valve.
|
|
|
| Rheumatic Fever and Rheumatic Heart Disease |
Rheumatic fever is an occasional consequence of selected forms on throat infection (streptococcal pharyngitis). This condition has the potential to progress to rheumatic heart disease in which there is damage to heart valves. Rheumatic heart disease continues to afflict large numbers of school-going children and young adults in India and other developing countries. This condition seriously damages heart valves and many children eventually require an operation or balloon procedure in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. |
|
|
| Cardiomyopathy |
| This is a condition in which the heart muscle is affected. There are forms where the muscle becomes excessively thick (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) or weak (dilated cardiomyopathy) |
|
|
| Pulmonary hypertension |
In this condition the pressure in the lung arteries (Pulmonary arteries) becomes excessive. This condition requires specialized management. |
|
|
|
| Kawasaki Disease |
This is a disease that is now being increasingly recognized in Indian Children. The condition typically affects children under five years and is characterized by fever, redness of eye and tongue, skin rash and enlarged lymph glands. The primary concern is the potential for damage to the coronary arteries (vessels that supply heart muscle) |
|
|
| Childhood Obesity |
A special facility is being established at AIMS for management of diseases resulting from adoption of unhealthy lifestyles by today’s children and adolescents. |
|
|
