When children with congenital heart disease receive timely treatment, 85% can survive into adulthood to live healthy productive lives.
- Congenital heart disease is the most common of all birth defects, occurring in about nine per 1000 livebirths globally. //
- When there is a problem in the structure of the heart that is present at birth, it is referred to as congenital heart defect.
- Developing local expertise for treating children with heart disease has ripple effects in reducing the risk of death due to heart disease. Over one million children are born with congenital heart disease (CHD) each year. When children with CHD receive timely treatment, 85% can survive into adulthood to live healthy, productive lives. The cause of most cases of congenital heart disease is unknown and the rate of disease is fairly stable across countries and populations, making the burden heaviest on low-income countries with high fertility rates.
- Bistra Zheleva, The invisible child: childhood heart disease in global health, The Lancet (2016) http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)32185-7.
Congenital Heart Disease – Septal Defects
Heart diseases that are present at birth are called “ Congenital heart diseases”.
Heart diseases that are present at birth are called “ Congenital heart diseases”.
‘Individuals with congenital heart defects need lifelong care and follow-up from primary care specialists, special attention to dental care, and, in many cases, more surgical interventions from trained health professionals.’
Although overall child mortality has decreased by half globally, death and disability due to congenital heart disease has consistently increased in low-income and middle-income countries over the past two decades. Access to care for children with heart disease has not kept pace. Sadly, 90% of the children with CHD live in poor regions with little or no access to care. Congenital heart disease and other serious birth defects are among the top five causes of death of children worldwide.
Children's HeartLink calls for the needs of children with heart disease to be included in efforts to strengthen health systems around the word. Specifically, priorities must be made to build a pediatric cardiac workforce, collect data on CHD in national health surveys and cause of child death statistics, and finance health coverage in a way that protects families from impoverishment when they seek care.
Cardiac Rehabilitation
Do you know how cardiac rehabilitation could help cardiac patients and why it is so effective? Read on to understand about cardiac rehabilitation and to sign up for it?
Do you know how cardiac rehabilitation could help cardiac patients and why it is so effective? Read on to understand about cardiac rehabilitation and to sign up for it?
Furthermore, individuals with congenital heart defects need lifelong care and follow-up from primary care specialists, special attention to dental care, and, in many cases, more surgical interventions from trained health professionals.
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Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) - Causes, Risk factors, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment
Rheumatic heart disease is a sequelae of rheumatic fever that affects heart valves. Rheumatic fever occurs after an episode of strep throat or sore throat due to group A beta hemolytic streptococci.
Rheumatic heart disease is a sequelae of rheumatic fever that affects heart valves. Rheumatic fever occurs after an episode of strep throat or sore throat due to group A beta hemolytic streptococci.
Since the turn of the millennium, child deaths have been cut in half thanks to improved public health and poverty reduction efforts. It is predicted that the number will halve again by 2030. This target will not be met without addressing congenital heart disease. As the overall rate of child deaths decreases, the burden of children born with heart disease will become more apparent.
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Lifestyle Paths to Prevent Heart Disease
Heart disease can be of many types depending upon whether they involve the heart muscles or artery walls or heart beats. Bad lifestyle choices contribute to heart disease.
Heart disease can be of many types depending upon whether they involve the heart muscles or artery walls or heart beats. Bad lifestyle choices contribute to heart disease.
Reliable data on the burden of congenital heart disease would better allow countries and the global health community to allocate resources to the child health needs in their communities. As countries develop economically, the burden of poverty-related diseases, especially infectious diseases and nutritional deficiencies, in children younger than 5 years diminishes.
Developing local expertise for treating children with heart disease has ripple effects to other health services. Paediatric cardiac surgery interfaces with many other specialties in a hospital. Investments in paediatric cardiac surgery can, therefore, lead to parallel improvements elsewhere in a hospital.
Reference
Source-Medindia
