Most adults are aware of the risks of “acquired” heart disease. These are problems predominantly related to lifestyle choices – like cigarette smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure. But what you may not know is that sometimes lurking beneath the surface are heart problems caused by “congenital” heart disease – or heart defects that you were born with.

According to Dr. Renee Bullock-Palmer, Co-Medical Director of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program at Deborah Heart and Lung Center, most children who have a heart defect are diagnosed either before they are born, or shortly thereafter.

“Because of advanced testing,” she said “many infants are diagnosed early on and with advances in congenital heart surgery and interventional procedures, repairs of these heart defects can be made which saves many, many lives. As these children move into adulthood they should be monitored by an adult (rather than pediatric) cardiologist with expertise in congenital heart disease to ensure that they can continue to live healthy, normal lives despite their heart defect repair.”

Some Defects Go Undetected

Dr. Bullock-Palmer noted that the CDC estimates about 1% of children – or 40,000 babies a year – are born with a congenital heart defect. Many of these children are living longer, healthier lives, and are entering into adulthood. In fact, it has been projected that by the year 2050 there will be over 500,000 adults in the U.S. with a history of congenital heart disease.

Not every child born with a heart defect will have symptoms at birth or receive a diagnosis right away. Some heart defects are identified as a child grows and others not until adulthood.

“Adults with a previously undiagnosed heart defect might start showing symptoms as they age,” she said. “They could start having shortness of breath, a blue tint to their skin, lips, or fingernails, tire easily with activity, or have an abnormal heart rhythm.” When these symptoms present, Dr. Bullock-Palmer urges people to see a doctor.

“Medications, as well as surgical and non-surgical procedures most often can correct a congenital heart defect,” she said. “It’s important not to ignore these symptoms since congenital heart defects can cause progressive problems or develop complications as patients get older in adulthood.”

Need for Ongoing Medical Care

Additionally she urges anyone who had a heart defect repair as a child to continue to see an adult (not pediatric) cardiologist with expertise in congenital heart disease. “Even if you feel great and your heart’s been repaired, you still need additional monitoring and you may require further heart procedures as you age, for example, if you have shortness of breath and a replaced valve is now too small and you may require another valve replacement.

It is also very important that women who have a history of congenital heart disease by seen by an adult cardiologist experienced in these conditions before considering pregnancy, as there are certain defects that may pose significant risk to the mother during pregnancy, and certain defects that may have to be assessed and corrected before considering having children, in order to avoid any fatal complications for the mother during and beyond pregnancy.

The physicians in Deborah’s Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program are board certified in Adult Congenital Heart Disease and are specially qualified to treat the unique needs of patients who have congenital heart disease with or without a history of heart defect repair.”