Congenital and acquired heart defects provoke heart failure, which dramatically reduces the patient’s quality of life or even causes death. This cardiovascular disease is chronic and slowly progressing and is associated with pathological defects in the valves and septum between the ventricles of the heart. Congenital malformations require immediate surgical treatment in infancy, otherwise irreversible changes will lead to death. The same situation is with acquired disorders in the operation of valves.
Heart surgeons in Israeli clinics use the latest techniques for minimally invasive treatment of acquired and congenital heart defects. The use of innovative materials for prosthetic valves allows each patient to return to a full life after an open or minimally invasive operation in Israeli cardiac centers.
Causes and risk factors
Cardiologists associate the risk of developing a heart defect in a newborn with several factors::
- genetic disorders in fetal development;
- diabetes mellitus in the mother;
- alcohol consumption and smoking during pregnancy;
- measles (rubella) in the first months of pregnancy.
Hereditary factors also affect the likelihood of developing a congenital heart defect.
Cardiologists associate more than 75% of cases of acquired heart disease with rheumatic diseases. In addition, pathological changes in the valves can lead to::
- atherosclerosis;
- autoimmune reactions;
- severe connective tissue diseases;
- infections and sepsis.
Physical overload also contributes to the wear and tear of the heart valves, which will eventually lead to disruption of their functioning.
Symptoms of heart disease
Due to the inability of newborns to independently assess their feelings and express them to doctors, congenital heart pathologies are determined by pediatricians at the first and subsequent regular examinations. However, there are also external symptoms:
- rapid breathing with deep retraction of the ribs;
- bluish tint of the lips, nails and entire skin;
- weak weight gain;
- severe fatigue and poor appetite.
Older children may experience swelling of the extremities, frequent unreasonable abdominal pain, and the inability to perform simple physical exercises.
Symptoms of acquired heart disease depend on the type of heart disease.
- Aortic stenosis is more than 80% of all acquired defects, which is formed due to rheumatism. It is manifested by low blood pressure, angina pectoris and a weak pulse. Due to poor blood supply to the brain, constant headaches and dizziness and even fainting appear.
- Mitral stenosis is a compressing or complete fusion of the mitral valve leaflets. At the first stages, the symptoms are subtle, and afterwards the disease manifests itself with tachycardia, arrhythmia, shortness of breath, coughing and even cough with blood during physical exertion, and afterwards – also at rest. There is pulmonary edema in the progressive forms of the disease.
- Tricuspid stenosis is a narrowing of the opening between the right atrium and the right ventricle. It is manifested in shortness of breath, swelling of the legs, accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity and enlargement of the liver.
Often there are combined malformations that require a comprehensive diagnosis of the entire cardiovascular system.
Diagnostics
- Physical examination with auscultation to the heart.
- X-ray to determine the degree of bulging of the pulmonary artery and reduction of the heart.
- Electrocardiography (ECG).
- Echocardiography.
Treatment of heart disease in Israel
Clinics in Israel are equipped with the most advanced cardiac surgery equipment, which, combined with the highest qualification of surgeons, allows to replace heart valves and treat congenital heart defects with minimally invasive operations. In addition, the use of modern highly effective medications under the supervision of experienced cardiologists allows in some cases to return the patient to a full life without surgical intervention. All this has made Israel a center of global medical tourism for patients with heart defects of any age from all over the world.