Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD) refers to several heart defects present at birth that require intervention. Some key points:
- CCHD includes defects where blood flow depends on an open ductus arteriosus after birth, such as Tetralogy of Fallot.
- Clinical presentation varies but may include cyanosis, heart murmur, respiratory distress. Diagnosis involves tests like echocardiogram, EKG, chest x-ray.
- Management depends on the specific defect but may include prostaglandin E1 to keep the ductus arteriosus open, then surgery to repair the anatomical issues. Early detection through newborn pulse oximetry screening can help identify cases