This is the reason why Clinica Cardiovascular, observing this problem, has a multidisciplinary team and is trained to manage these diseases to guide and offer the best management for this wide range of diseases, affecting pediatric patients and sometimes, also adults who were never diagnosed or treated on time.

They are defects in the structure of the heart and its large vessels, which are present at birth, this does not mean that they are hereditary, but they occurred during the formation of the heart in the mother's uterus.

Among children with these disorders there is a wide spectrum of severity, approximately 2 to 3 of every 1000 newborns present with symptomatic congenital heart disease during the first year of life. The origin and how the vast majority of congenital heart disease occurs are still unknown.

The moment when these are manifested are very variable, there are some that can give symptomatology once the baby is born, however, there are others that do not give clinical manifestations until months later and in rare occasions, they can even happen years.

Congenital heart disease is sometimes associated with certain syndromes such as Down syndrome, among others. Therefore, it is important for these patients to perform a specialized cardiological evaluation to rule out this type of disease.

The evaluation of the treating doctor or pediatrician is very important, since other congenital diseases are ruled out in other organs. But the diagnosis to confirm and/or rule out a congenital heart disease must be confirmed by the Pediatric Cardiologist, by performing a Echocardiogram, an Ultrasound of the Heart, this is a non-painful and tolerable diagnostic procedure in all types of patients, including Newborns of few hours of life.

Once the diagnosis is made and the congenital heart disease is classified, the decision is made if it merits any type of treatment, since each disease is different, in Clinica Cardiovascular we recommend to seek care and advice with specialists who have the experience in the management of these Pathologies, because current advances in techniques has allowed these patients to have a completely normal life after an intervention.

First of all, the most important thing is to have a prenatal control throughout your pregnancy and once your baby is born, it must be EVALUATED BY YOUR PEDIATRICIAN.

Cyanosis (violet or purplish color on lips and fingers)

Fatigue or shortness of breath when eating or struggling (walking or running)

Difficulty gaining weight and height

High pressure (arterial) at very young age

Presence of heart murmurs 

Multiple respiratory infections.

These diseases are classified in several ways, to make it easier to understand we will name the most common, sometimes there may be several in the same patient.

VSD - Ventricular septal defect

ASD - Atrial septal defect

PDA - Patent Ductus Arteriosus

TET - Tetralogy of Fallot

TAPVR - Total anomalous pulmonary venous return

AVC - Atrio-Ventricular Canal

CoAo - Aortic coarctation

TGA - Transposition of the great arteries

PE - Pulmonary estenosis

IAA - Interrupted aortic arch

DORV - Double Outlet Right Ventricle

HLHS - Hypoplasic left heart syndrome

Single Ventricle

Truncus arteriosus

The majority of congenital heart defects require a surgical intervention for their healing and therefore Cardiovascular Clinic counts on the specialized and experienced Team in Panama for the management and treatment of these diseases, always with the aim of orienting it towards the taking of the best Decision, in addition to the support of Local Foundations focused on the subject of congenital heart disease, which parents and relatives of children with these diseases participate and will be equally willing to support and guide it.