Congenital heart defects are heart problems present at birth. They happen when the heart fails to develop 
normally before birth. About 1 percent of infants are born with one or more heart or circulatory problems.
Most congenital heart defects typically entail more than one structural problem. The most common include holes in the heart and malformed, missing or misplaced values, vessels or heart chambers. Approximately 1 million adults in the United States are living with congenital heart conditions, with the number continuing to rise because of increased survival rates, according to the Adult Congenital Heart Association.
Why Choose St. Luke’s for Adult Congenital Heart Disease Treatment?
St. Luke’s provides treatment for adult congenital heart defects and abnormalities through Texas Heart® Institute and its collaborative partnership with the Texas Adult Congenital Heart Program at Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine.
This collaboration provides a full spectrum of services, procedures and testing delivered by experts in the growing sub-specialty of adult congenital heart disease, and it enables patients to receive a seamless continuation of care from birth to old age.
Symptoms of Adult Congenital Heart Disease
While congenital defects are present at birth, symptoms may not appear until childhood or later. Sometimes a congenital heart defect causes no symptoms, and such conditions may go undiagnosed until adulthood. If symptoms are present, they may include shortness of breath and a low tolerance for exercise.
While some conditions warrant only observation in adults to identify potential complications, others may be managed with medications, and still other more serious conditions may require minimally invasive treatment or even surgery.
Types of Congenital Heart Defects
There are many different types of congenital heart defects. More than one defect may be present.
To learn more about causes, diagnosis, and treatment, choose a topic below. Each link takes you to the website for Texas Heart® Institute and will open in a new window.
For additional information on this Congenital Heart Disease, visit the Heart Information Center located on the website for Texas Heart® Institute, TexasHeart.org
