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Heart Services

Diagnosis & Treatment

Congenital Heart Disease

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How is Congenital Heart Disease Diagnosed?

Diagnosis

Physicians use a variety of heart function and imaging tests to diagnose congenital heart disease. Severe problems in a fetal heart can be detected during pregnancy by ultrasound. Most newborns are screened for congenital heart disease with a pulse oximeter, a sensor clipped to a finger or toe that measures oxygen in the blood.

In adults, the following diagnostic heart services help to diagnose congenital heart disease:

  • Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). Small plastic patches that contain electrodes are attached to the chest, arms, and legs. The electrodes detect the electrical activity of the heart while the test is being done, and the results are recorded as line tracings on paper or a computer screen.
  • Chest X-ray. This image shows the size and shape of the heart and lungs
  • Echocardiogram. A type of ultrasound scan that creates a movie showing blood flowing through the heart and its valves
  • Treadmill stress test. Your heart’s response to exercise is monitored by ECG while you walk on a treadmill
  • Cardiac catheterization and angiogram. A thin, flexible tube (catheter) is threaded through blood vessels that reach the heart. The test checks blood flow and blood pressure in the heart’s chambers and finds out how well the heart valves work. Catheterization is done with an angiogram, a type of X-ray that takes pictures of blood flow and ensures correct placement of the catheter.
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This test uses a magnetic field and radio waves to take pictures of the heart and chest
  • Computed tomography (CT). This scan creates three-dimensional X-ray images of the heart and lungs
  • Transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE). A tube with a small ultrasound “camera” on the end is placed in the esophagus (windpipe). The test creates an ultrasound movie of the heart, providing a clearer picture than an echocardiogram. The procedure requires sedation.

How is Congenital Heart Disease Treated?

Treatment

At NewYork-Presbyterian, we have extraordinary experience performing heart surgery and other treatments for adults with congenital heart defects who were initially treated as children and those diagnosed later in their lives.

You may also have the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial assessing a new treatment or tracking how well you do after surgery. Treatment for congenital heart disease will depend on the type and severity of your particular condition and your other health issues and may include:

Medication

Medications may be prescribed to treat symptoms for congenital heart disease that causes mild problems. These medications may:

  • Prevent blood clots (blood thinners or anticoagulants)
  • Help control an irregular heartbeat (antiarrhythmics)
  • Lower blood pressure

Surgical options

  • Implantable devices. An implanted pacemaker or cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) can help treat complications of congenital heart disease, such as irregular heart rate.
  • Catheter-based treatments. Using these techniques, a cardiac surgeon can repair some heart deformities without cutting open the chest. A thin tube (catheter) is threaded through blood vessels in the legs or neck to the heart. Surgical tools within the catheter can be used to close a hole in the heart, widen a narrowed blood vessel, or replace a valve.
  • Heart surgery. We perform minimally invasive heart surgery whenever possible. Repairing a complex malformation may require traditional open-heart surgery.
  • Heart transplant. This may be an option for people whose heart disorders cannot be treated successfully using other methods.
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Trust NewYork-Presbyterian for Congenital Heart Disease Treatment

At NewYork-Presbyterian, our surgeons and other cardiac care specialists are renowned experts in congenital heart disease treatment. We understand that symptoms can develop at any age. Schedule an appointment for cardiac care. We treat all heart conditions, including coronary artery disease, women’s heart disease, and pulmonary hypertension. We also offer specialized pediatric services.