Congenital heart defects arise in the fetal stage in life when the development of the heart and/or great blood vessels is disrupted in some manner. This leads to a structural abnormality in the heart or vessels which depending on the type and extent may case mild to severe symptoms or can even be life threatening. The heart is a a muscular pump with four chambers – two atria that receive blood and two ventricles that push out blood. The atrium and ventricle on each side are separated by heart valves which open and close at different stages of the cardiac cycle. Similarly the ventricles and arteries communicating it are separated by valves.

However, the atria and ventricles are kept separate from each other by the atrioventricular (AV) septum. This means that the blood from the right atrium or ventricle cannot mix with the blood in the left atrium or ventricle. The septum is essential to keep oxygen deficient blood in the right chambers of the heart separate from the oxygen rich blood in the left chambers. In certain types of congenital heart defects, the septum is compromised thereby allowing for a mixing of the blood.

continue reading Left-to-Right Cardiac Shunts (Heart) Types and Symptoms

The terms congenital and acquired are frequently used in medicine to describe a disorder, disease or defect that is either present from birth (congenital) or develops during the course of life (acquired). Congenital defects stem from fetal development but is often only obvious after birth once the baby’s body has to sustain life independent of the mother. However, with modern investigative techniques, many congenital disorders can be detected during fetal life and the appropriate measures taken prior to birth in certain cases. Congenital diseases or defects can affect any part of the body or organ and the heart and great blood vessels are no exception. These diseases and defects can be life-threatening and require intervention in fetal life or immediately after birth while in some cases it may only manifest later in life or adulthood.

continue reading Congenital Heart Disease and Defects Causes and Symptoms

The heart is a muscular pump with its own electrical system to keep it functioning independently. Electrical impulses are generated in the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the atrial wall, passes directly to the muscles of the atria, is delayed in the atrioventricular node (AV node) and then transmitted to the muscles of the ventricles. The impulses travel in only one direction and ensures that the atria contract first and then the ventricles. In this manner blood received in the atria, pushed into the ventricles and then pumped out to the lungs and rest of the body.The heart beat has to maintain a constant rate and rhythm to ensure that blood is being pumped out in manner that is sufficient for the body’s needs.

continue reading Irregular Heart Beat Rhythm and Rate (Arrhythmia)

The heart has a complex electrical system which regulates the contraction and relaxation of its muscular wall. This enables the heart to function by receiving blood during relaxation and pumping it out with force to the lungs and other parts of the body. The rhythm of the heart beat is controlled by a natural pacemaker known as the sinoatrial node (SA node) which generates the electrical impulse. To prevent simultaneous contraction of the atria and ventricles, the atrioventricular node (AV node) delays the conduction of the impulse to the ventricle. Fibers from the SA node to the AV node (internodal pathways) and then from the AV node to the rest of the ventricles (Purkinje fibers) serves as the electrical ‘cables’ of the heart.

continue reading Electrical Conduction System and Activity of the Human Heart

A seizure, also known as fits, occurs with abnormal electrical activity in part of the brain or the entire brain. It may be related to trauma and occur as a once-off event while recurrent seizures are seen with a number of diseases particularly of the central nervous system. The brain has a regulating mechanism that controls the level of electrical activity within the organ. When the controlling effects of the inhibitory and excitatory mechanisms fail, and the electrical activity increases to abnormal levels, a seizure may arise. Seizures are usually short-lived, subside spontaneously and a person regains consciousness. However, in certain instances it can persist for prolonged periods. These episodes are known as status epilepticus and can be life threatening.

continue reading Symptoms of a Seizure, Diagnosis, Treatment, Status Epilepticus