The Types of Congenital Heart Defects

Birth defects of the heart may take many different shapes and forms. The American Heart Association states that there are atleast thirty-five distinct forms of Congenital Heart Defects (CHD).

Classification of CHD

There are many different ways to categorize CHD. One of the most frequently used is

• Cyanotic Heart Disease - where there is mixing of pure oxygen-rich blood with venous blood, resulting in a bluish or violet discoloration of the patient's lips and finger-tips.
• Acyanotic Heart Disease - where there is no cyanosis.

In general, cyanotic heart birth defects are more complex, and have a combination of defects.

Other ways to group CHD are

• based on lung blood flow (high, normal or low)
• part or side of the heart affected (left, right, both)

Acyanotic Heart Disease

The common forms of acyanotic CHD are those where there is a defect in one of the walls separating the chambers of the heart, or obstruction to one valve or artery. Common examples of acyanotic CHD are:

• Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) - a hole between the upper chambers of the heart.
• Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD) - a hole between the lower chambers of the heart.
• Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) - an abnormal communication between the aorta and pulmonary artery.
• Coarctation of the Aorta - an obstruction within the large artery of the body.
• Pulmonary Stenosis - a narrowing of the valve between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery.

Cyanotic Heart Disease

There are many conditions that cause cyanosis due to admixture of pure and desaturated blood. Here are the most common ones:

• Tetralogy of Fallot - a constellation of four heart defects leading to cyanosis.
• Tricuspid Atresia - a non-development of the valve between right atrium and ventricle.
• Truncus Arteriosus - replacement of a distinct aorta and pulmonary artery by a single common artery.
• Transposition of Great Arteries (TGA) - an interchange in position of the aorta and pulmonary artery.
• Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) - where the entire left side of the heart is under-developed.
• Pulmonary Atresia - non-development of the pulmonary valve and the pulmonary arteries.

For a detailed study of the different kinds of CHD, you can visit the Heart Disease Online website.