Keeping Your Heart Healthy Since you have congenital heart disease, it’s very important for you to follow the “healthy-heart recommendations” for diet and activity. No matter what type of heart disease you have, a better overall level of physical fitness will help you do your normal daily activities more easily. Also, you have the same… Continue Reading
Author Archives: Kelly Manz
Adults with CHD – Part Two
Pregnancy More females with congenital heart defects (CHD) are surviving, and thriving, into adolescence and adulthood. All females with CHD should receive counseling when they are sexually active and especially when they plan to or become pregnant. A thorough assessment of their current cardiac status will help provide appropriate advice on how their cardiovascular system… Continue Reading
Adults with CHD – Part Three
Genetic Counseling When a child is born with a congenital heart defect, two of the most common questions are: “Why did this occur?” and “Will it happen again in our family?” These same questions come up when a person with congenital heart disease considers having children. Genetic counseling can help answer these questions and address… Continue Reading
Adults with CHD – Part Four
Heart Transplant A heart transplant is performed by replacing the patient’s heart with a donor heart. Doctors remove the patient’s heart by transecting the aorta, the main pulmonary artery and the superior and inferior vena cavae, and dividing the left atrium, leaving the back wall of the left atrium with the pulmonary vein openings in… Continue Reading
Adults with CHD – Part Five
Infective Endocarditis Infective endocarditis (IE), also called bacterial endocarditis (BE), is an infection caused by bacteria that enter the bloodstream and settle in the heart lining, a heart valve or a blood vessel. Although IE is uncommon, people with some types of congenital heart disease have a greater risk of developing it. The American Heart… Continue Reading
Welcome to CHD Babies!
My only hope with creating this blog is to help families of a loved one affected by a Congenital Heart Defect (CHD). I am blessed to have an amazing CHD Baby (Chloe) who has inspired me to help make a difference! This blog is one of MANY wonderful resources out there, raising awareness and fighting… Continue Reading
I Heart CHD Babies!
Jace Alan Hall, Born 12/08/2012, Tetralogy of Fallot and Pulmonary Atresia Stella, Born 02-02-07, Coarctation of the Aorta Kaylin, VSD & ASD Bryson, Born 09-17-09, Coarctation of the Aorta, Transposition of the Great Arteries, VSD & ASD Briston, Born 10-21-04, Truncus Arteriosis & DiGeorge Syndrome Tyler Matthew Anderson, Born 01-11-07, TGA & COA & VSD Logan… Continue Reading
Glossary
To read about some cardiac catheterizations, click here. To learn more about hospital staff, click here. To read more about medications that may be prescribed to your CHD baby, click here. This glossary includes many common terms you may hear at the hospital, doctor’s visits or may come across in your own research: Allograft… Continue Reading
Surgeries
To read about some cardiac catheterization procedures, click here. To read more about what to expect during your CHD Baby’s open heart surgery, click here. To read more about medications that may be prescribed to your CHD baby, click here. Congenital heart defects can be classified into several categories according to the problems your child… Continue Reading
Complex CHD’s – does environment play a role?
Some complex congenital heart defects in newborns are significantly more common during the summer, leading researchers to believe that the environment, and not just genes that affect the heart, may play a role in causing “mini-epidemics” of this disease. A cardiac surgeon from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center presented this research at the annual American… Continue Reading