Pediatric Cardiology in Türkiye

Pediatric Cardiology

Heart diseases in children are numerous and sad for adults, but they are tragic for children!

Many different types of heart problems affect children, including congenital heart defects, viral infections that affect the heart, and even diseases acquired in childhood due to genetic diseases or syndromes. 

congenital heart disease :

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a type of heart disease that babies are born with, usually caused by heart defects present at birth. 

Congenital heart diseases in children include:

• Heart valve disorders such as aortic valve stenosis , which restricts blood flow
• Hypoplastic heart syndrome, in which the left side of the heart is underdeveloped.
• Disorders that involve holes in the heart, usually in the walls between the chambers and between the major blood vessels leaving the heart.

 including:

• Ventricular septal defect.
• Atrial septal defect.
• open ductus arteriosus.

Tetralogy of Fallot is a combination of four defects, including:

• Perforation of the ventricular septum.
• A narrow passage between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery
• The thick right side of the heart.
• The displaced aorta.

Congenital heart defects may have long-term effects on the health of the child, and many cases are treated with surgery, catheterization procedures, and medications. In severe cases, a heart transplant may be resorted to, and in some other cases, children need lifelong monitoring and treatment.

Arteriosclerosis:

Atherosclerosis is the accumulation of fats and plaques filled with cholesterol inside the arteries, and the arteries harden and narrow due to the increased accumulation of fats and plaques full of cholesterol, so the risk of blood clots and heart attacks increases. It usually takes many years for atherosclerosis to develop. It often does not affect children or adolescents. The risk of atherosclerosis increases more when obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and other health problems occur. Doctors recommend screening for high cholesterol and high blood pressure in children who have risk factors such as genetic conditions for heart disease or diabetes, or who are overweight or obese. Treatment includes lifestyle changes such as increased exercise and dietary modifications .

Arrhythmia:

An arrhythmia is an abnormal heart rhythm that causes the heart to pump blood less efficiently. Different types of arrhythmias may occur in children, including:

• Rapid heart rate (tachycardia) Supraventricular tachycardia is the most common type in children.
• Slow heart rate (bradycardia).
• Long QT syndrome (LQTS).
• Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW syndrome).

Symptoms may include:

• weakness
• fatigue
• Dizziness
• fainting
• Feeding difficulties 

Treatments depend on the type of arrhythmia and how it affects the child’s health.

Kawasaki disease:

Kawasaki disease is a rare disease that primarily affects children and can cause inflammation of the blood vessels in their hands, feet, mouth, lips and throat. It results in fever and swollen lymph nodes. Kawasaki disease is a leading cause of heart disease in up to 1 in 4 children. Most of them are under the age of five.

Treatment depends on the extent of the disease, and immediate treatment often includes intravenous gamma globulin or aspirin (Bufferin). Corticosteroids sometimes reduce future complications. Children with this disease often need follow-up appointments throughout their lives to monitor their heart health.

heart murmur (heart murmur)

A heart murmur is a “whistling” sound made by blood flowing through the chambers of the heart or valves, or through blood vessels near the heart. It is usually harmless, but sometimes it may indicate a problem with the heart vessels.

Heart murmurs are caused by coronary artery disease, fever, or anemia. If doctors hear an abnormal heart murmur in a child, they do additional tests to make sure the heart is healthy. Heart murmurs usually resolve on their own, but if a heart murmur is caused by a heart problem, it may require additional treatment.

Pericarditis:

This condition occurs when the thin sac or membrane surrounding the heart (pericardium) becomes inflamed or infected, and the amount of fluid between the two layers increases, impairing the heart’s ability to pump blood.

Pericarditis may occur after previous surgeries to repair coronary heart disease, or it may result from bacterial infection, chest trauma, or connective tissue disorders such as lupus. Treatments depend on the severity of the disease and the child’s age and general health.

Rheumatic heart disease:

Sore throats and scarlet fever caused by untreated streptococcus bacteria cause rheumatic heart disease. Rheumatic heart disease damages the valves of the heart muscle (by causing inflammation of the heart muscle) in a serious and permanent way, and rheumatic heart disease affects children between the ages of 5 and 15 years, but symptoms of rheumatic heart disease do not appear immediately, but appear after 10 to 20 years of age time of original disease. This disease can be prevented by prompt treatment of sore throat with antibiotics.

Viral infections:

Viruses commonly cause influenza and respiratory illnesses, but they can also affect heart health. As if it caused a viral infection of myocarditis, which affects the ability of the heart to pump blood throughout the body. Heart viral infections are rare and present with few symptoms. Even when symptoms do appear, they are similar to those of the flu, including fatigue, shortness of breath, and chest discomfort. It is often treated with medications that treat the symptoms of myocarditis.

Cardiovascular diseases:

Türkiye is one of the leading countries in this field, as it was one of the few countries in the world that performs complex artificial heart transplantation. More than 200 artificial heart transplants have been performed in Türkiye, all of which have been successful.

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death in most parts of the world. Studies in 2014 showed that these diseases were responsible for millions of deaths globally.

Despite the traditional understanding that it is a disease caused by diet, obesity, family history and poor physical fitness, research has found effects from the environment, from air pollution to lead poisoning, that can lead to cardiovascular disease risk.

REHABTÜRK HEALTHCARE PROVIDER NETWORK, we understand the importance of selecting the best specialists in cardiovascular surgery 

So your health is in good hands!

The doctors and cardiovascular surgeons in REHABTÜRK have long experience and multidisciplinary teams to provide the best treatment for patients.

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