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What Are Congenital Heart Defects?
Congenital (kon-JEN-ih-tal) heart defects are problems with the heart's structure that are present at birth. These defects can involve:
- The interior walls of the heart
- The valves inside the heart
- The arteries and veins that carry blood to the heart or the body
Congenital heart defects change the normal flow of blood through the heart.
There are many types of congenital heart defects. They range from simple defects with no symptoms to complex defects with severe, life-threatening symptoms.
Congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defect. They affect
Many of these defects are simple conditions. They need no treatment or are easily fixed. Some babies are born with complex congenital heart defects. These defects require special medical care soon after birth.
The diagnosis and treatment of complex heart defects has greatly improved over the past few decades. As a result, almost all children who have complex heart defects survive to adulthood and can live active, productive lives.
Most people who have complex heart defects continue to need special heart care throughout their lives. They may need to pay special attention to how their condition affects issues such as health insurance, employment, birth control and pregnancy, and other health issues.
In the United States, more than 1 million adults are living with congenital heart defects.
Clinical trials are research studies that explore whether a medical strategy, treatment, or device is safe and effective for humans. These studies are a key research tool for advancing medical knowledge and patient care. Learn more about clinical trials.
Clinical trials currently are under way for Congenital Heart Defects. For more information about these studies, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.
Because children are not little adults, they need clinical research that focuses exclusively on them. Clinical research will bring us closer to finding the best treatments, medicines, and devices for children who are growing and developing.
Visit the NHLBI’s Children and Clinical Studies Web site to hear experts, parents, and children talk about their experiences with clinical research.
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The NHLBI updates Health Topics articles on a biennial cycle based on a thorough review of research findings and new literature. The articles also are updated as needed if important new research is published. The date on each Health Topics article reflects when the content was originally posted or last revised.
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