Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a birth defect that affects the structure of the heart. It can affect the heart’s chambers, valves, or arteries. CHD can range from mild to severe, and some people with CHD may not have any symptoms.
Here are some of the ways that CHD can affect the heart’s structure:
- Holes in the heart: These holes can allow blood to flow between chambers of the heart that should not be connected.
- Pulmonary stenosis: This is a narrowing of the pulmonary valve, which is the valve that allows blood to flow from the right ventricle to the lungs.
- Aortic stenosis: This is a narrowing of the aortic valve, which is the valve that allows blood to flow from the left ventricle to the rest of the body.
- Transposition of the great vessels: This is a rare condition in which the two main arteries that carry blood away from the heart are switched.