Treatment

Treatment of congenital heart defects in children depends on the specific type of heart problem and how severe it is. Sometimes, a congenital heart defect may have no long-term effect on your child's health and may safely go untreated. Certain defects, such as small holes, may close as your child ages.

Serious heart defects require treatment soon after they're diagnosed. Treatment may involve medications, heart procedures or a heart transplant.

Medications

Medications may be given to treat symptoms or complications of a congenital heart defect and may be used alone or with a heart procedure. Medications for congenital heart defects include:

• Blood pressure drugs. Examples include angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) and beta blockers.
• Diuretics. This type of medication reduces the amount of fluid in the body, which reduces the strain on the heart.
• Heart rhythm drugs. These medications, called anti-arrhythmics, help control an abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia).

Surgery or other procedures

If your child has a severe congenital heart defect, a heart procedure or surgery may be recommended. Heart procedures and surgery done to treat congenital heart defects include:

• Fetal cardiac intervention. Rarely, if a serious defect is diagnosed before birth, a procedure can be done during pregnancy to correct the problem or help reduce complications of the defect as the child grows. Fetal cardiac intervention is rarely performed and only possible in very specific circumstances.

• Cardiac catheterization. Some children and adults have their congenital heart defects repaired using thin, flexible tubes (catheters). Cardiac catheterization can be used to fix holes in the heart or areas of narrowing without open-heart surgery.

  During cardiac catheterization, the doctor inserts one or more catheters into a blood vessel, usually in the groin, and to the heart. Tiny tools are threaded through the catheter to the heart to repair the defect. Some catheter procedures have to be done in steps over a period of years.

• Heart surgery. Your child may need open-heart surgery or minimally invasive heart surgery to repair a congenital heart defect.
• Heart transplant. If a serious heart defect can't be repaired, a heart transplant may be needed.