Congenital Heart Defect Facts and Louisville CPR Classes

A congenital heart defect (CHD) is a structural problem with the heart that’s present at birth. Such defects occur due to a mishap during heart development soon after conception – often before the mother is aware that she is pregnant. CHD range in severity from simple problems, such as “holes” between chambers of the heart, to very severe malformations, such as the complete absence of one or more chambers or valves. CHD increases the risk for other medical conditions like:

1.      Pulmonary hypertension

2.      Arrhythmias

3.      Infective endocarditis

4.      Anticoagulation

5.      Congestive heart failure

It is important to keep the heart in good shape for keeping cardiac emergencies at bay. No one can predict the occurrence of a cardiac emergency which can be a cardiac arrest or heart attack. A victim would require immediate treatment for survival. It is advisable for individuals to sign up for a CPR class Louisville to keep life-threatening emergencies at bay. The CPR procedures include chest compressions and rescue breaths. Being a resident of the Louisville region, you can sign up for a program at the AHA certified CPR Louisville. There are courses for both healthcare and non-healthcare providers. 

Congenital Heart Defect Facts:

1.      Not all heart problems in children are congenital but most are. Possible childhood heart problems include structural defects, acquired damage and heart rhythm disturbances. Children also can be born with or develop heart rate problems such as slow, fast or irregular heartbeats, known as “arrhythmias.”

2.      The reason behind the occurrence of CHD isn’t known. The reason is presumed to be genetic, only a few genes have been discovered that have been linked to heart defects. CHD due to ingestion of some drugs and the occurrence of some infections during pregnancy is very rare.

3.      You can tell if your baby or child has a congenital heart defect just in the first few months after birth. Some babies are blue or have very low blood pressure shortly after birth. Other defects cause breathing difficulties, feeding problems or poor weight gain.

4.      Most people with CHD live normal or nearly normal healthy lives with all children with simple defects surviving into adulthood. Some children with CHD may have developmental delay or learning difficulties.

5.      Successful treatment of CHD requires specialized care which means one should be ready with extensive financial resources. Additionally, a serious congenital heart defect can put an enormous emotional and financial strain on young families.

A few factors related to CHD may interfere with your baby’s growth like:

1.      Excessively rapid heart beat

2.      Increased respiratory rate

3.      Poor appetite

4.      Greater caloric needs

5.      Decreased food intake due to rapid breathing and fatigue

6.      Frequent respiratory infections, such as bronchitis or pneumonia

7.      Poor absorption of nutrients from the digestive tract

8.      Decreased oxygen in the blood, called hypoxia

Some children with CHD may have delays in development, learning disabilities or special educational needs but mostly, a child with CHD can attend school and participate fully. Keep in mind that diagnosing and treating congenital heart defects with surgery is costly, so remain prepared.

At CPR Louisville, either register online for a course or call on 502-804-6132 for the same. All of our instructors are American Heart Association certified. Each has gone through the rigorous training that the AHA requires in order to be certified to teach classes. After they complete the actual instructor class, they are then carefully monitored while teaching their own class. This monitoring includes looking for proper AHA procedure, as well as ensuring that accurate information is being disseminated to the students.