Congenital heart diseases
🔴 Symptoms
- Cyanosis (bluish coloration of the lips or nails)
- Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue during feeding or exertion in infants
- Poor weight gain or growth delay
- Excessive sweating, especially during meals
- Heart murmur detected on auscultation
- Edema (swelling of the feet, ankles, or abdomen)
💊 Treatment
- Regular monitoring by a pediatric cardiologist
- Medications to control symptoms (diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors)
- Corrective or reparative surgery depending on the type of malformation
- Cardiac catheterization intervention for certain anomalies
- Cardiac rehabilitation and nutritional support
- Long-term follow-up to prevent complications
📌 Summary
Definition: Congenital heart diseases are heart malformations present at birth. They affect the heart’s structure and blood circulation, ranging from simple defects to complex anomalies requiring surgical intervention.
Population affected: Mainly newborns and children, although some cases are diagnosed later in adulthood.
Common causes: Genetic abnormalities, infections during pregnancy (such as rubella), uncontrolled maternal diabetes, exposure to toxic substances during pregnancy, or unknown causes in many cases.
🛡️ Prevention
- Prenatal consultation and fetal ultrasound if suspected
- Avoid infections during pregnancy (e.g., rubella, toxoplasmosis)
- Folic acid supplementation before and during pregnancy
- Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and certain medications during pregnancy
- Control of diabetes and maternal chronic diseases
- Genetic counseling in case of family history
Infective endocarditis
🔴 Symptoms
- Persistent fever
- Chills and night sweats
- Severe fatigue and general malaise
- New or worsening heart murmur
- Joint or muscle pain
- Petechiae (small red spots on the skin or mucous membranes)
- Swelling of the legs or shortness of breath
💊 Treatment
- Prolonged intravenous antibiotic therapy (often several weeks)
- Hospitalization for monitoring and antibiotic infusion
- Cardiac surgery if severe valve damage occurs
- Regular evaluation by a cardiologist and an infectious disease specialist
- Supportive care for complications (heart failure, embolisms)
📌 Summary
Definition: Infective endocarditis is a serious infection of the inner lining of the heart (endocardium), usually caused by bacteria entering the bloodstream and attaching to the heart valves.
Population affected: Mainly people with a history of heart disease, artificial valves, or weakened immune systems. Intravenous drug users are also at risk.
Common causes: Bacterial infections (notably streptococci or staphylococci), invasive medical procedures, dental care without antibiotic prophylaxis, prolonged use of venous catheters.
🛡️ Prevention
- Good oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups
- Antibiotic prophylaxis before certain dental procedures for at-risk patients
- Monitoring of implanted medical devices (valves, pacemakers...)
- Avoid self-medication and non-sterile injections
- Medical follow-up for people with a history of valvular heart disease
Atrial fibrillation
🔴 Symptoms
- Palpitations (irregular or rapid heartbeats)
- Shortness of breath during exertion or at rest
- Persistent fatigue
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Feeling of anxiety or general malaise
- Sometimes no symptoms at all (silent form)
💊 Treatment
- Medications to slow the heart rate (beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers)
- Anticoagulants to prevent blood clots and strokes
- Antiarrhythmics to regulate the heart rhythm
- Electrical cardioversion in case of severe episodes
- Radiofrequency ablation if medication is ineffective
- Regular follow-up with a cardiologist
📌 Summary
Definition: Atrial fibrillation is a heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia) characterized by rapid and irregular beating of the atria, which can lead to poor blood circulation.
Affected population: Mainly people over 60 years old, but also those with hypertension, heart failure, or diabetes.
Common causes: High blood pressure, heart valve diseases, myocardial infarction, hyperthyroidism, excessive alcohol consumption, stress, sleep apnea.
🛡️ Prevention
- Control of high blood pressure
- Treatment of underlying cardiovascular diseases
- Avoid excessive consumption of alcohol or caffeine
- Maintain a healthy weight and regular physical activity
- Reduce stress and get good sleep
- Monitor medications that may affect heart rhythm
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
🔴 Symptoms
- Swelling of one leg (often unilateral)
- Pain or tenderness in the leg, especially when standing or walking
- Warmth felt in the affected area
- Redness or bluish discoloration of the skin
- Sometimes no symptoms (silent form)
💊 Treatment
- Anticoagulants (heparin, warfarin, direct oral anticoagulants)
- Compression stockings to improve blood circulation
- Relative rest with leg elevation
- Inferior vena cava filter (in some high-risk cases)
- Close medical monitoring to adjust treatment duration
📌 Summary
Definition: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the legs. This clot can break loose and cause a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism.
Affected population: Hospitalized adults, people with prolonged immobilization, pregnant women or those on hormonal contraceptives, elderly or overweight individuals.
Common causes: Prolonged immobilization (travel, bed rest), recent surgery, trauma, history of phlebitis, smoking, cancer, blood clotting disorders.
🛡️ Prevention
- Regular mobilization after surgery or during long trips
- Wearing compression stockings if recommended
- Adequate hydration
- Avoiding prolonged periods of immobility
- Preventive anticoagulant treatment for at-risk patients
- Maintaining a healthy weight and quitting smoking
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