Congenital Heart Disease
Congenital heart disease, or CHD, is a condition that affects the heart's structure right from birth. This means some parts of the heart may not be working as they should. It can change how blood flows in both kids and adults. While there are different types of CHD, we will focus on how it affects adults here. Some cases may not cause much trouble, but in more complicated situations, it can be dangerous. But don't worry, because thanks to modern medical progress, we have better ways to find and treat CHD.
If you have CHD, you'll need lifelong medical care, including regular check-ups with your primary care doctor or heart specialist (cardiologist). Sometimes, you might need to take medicines, and in some cases, you might need surgery to fix the heart's problems. You might have heard of the term "hole in the heart." It's a type of congenital condition called an atrial septal defect, or ASD. It's like having a small hole between the upper chambers of the heart.
Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is another type of hole in between the upper chambers of the heart. This hole is a flap-like opening that didn't close properly after birth. Both of these conditions are at high risk for a stroke or heart attack due to the likelihood of your body forming a clot.
