Congenital heart disease overview


 * Associate Editor-In-Chief: Priyamvada Singh, MBBS [mailto:psingh@perfuse.org], Assistant Editor-In-Chief: Kristin Feeney, B.S. [mailto:kfeeney@perfuse.org]

Overview
Congenital heart disease, is defined as an abnormality in cardio-circulatory anatomy or physiology that exists primarily at birth, even if it is discovered much later. It includes structural defects, congenital arrhythmia, and cardiomyopathies. It mostly results from altered embryonic development of a normal structure or failure of the structure to progress beyond an early stage of embryonic or fetal development. The functional changes seen due to these abnormalities, in turn, may influence the anatomical and physiological development of remainder of the circulation. It includes a number of different problems affecting the heart. It is the most common type of birth defect and is responsible for more deaths in the first year of life than any other birth defects. Many of these defects need to be followed carefully. Some heal over time, others require treatment.

List of Specific Congenital Heart Disorders
There are many anatomical variations that arise involving congenital heart disease. The following congenital heart diseases each have unique anatomical formations:
 * Aortic stenosis
 * Atrial septal defect
 * Atrioventricular canal
 * Coarctation of aorta
 * Patent ductus arteriosus
 * Tetralogy of fallot
 * Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection
 * Tricuspid atresia
 * Transposition of the great arteries
 * Truncus arteriosus
 * Ventricular septal defect