Many people think of heart problems as conditions that only affect adults. But the fact is, 1 out of every 100 babies in the United Arab Emirates is born with heart disease. That makes congenital heart disease the most common type of birth defect.
Congenital heart disease (CHD) occurs during the early stages of a mother's pregnancy, when her baby's heart is forming
Conditions classified as congenital heart disease include abnormalities in the heart's structure or the heart's electrical system
Congenital heart disease, or a congenital heart defect, is a heart abnormality present at birth. The problem can affect:
the heart walls
the heart valves
the blood vessels
Congenital heart disease is approximately 60 times more prevalent than childhood cancer
CHD is the most common cause of birth defect-related infant death. 1
Congenital heart disease affects approximately 500 babies born in the United Arab Emirates each year, making it the most common type of birth defect
Genetic or chromosomal abnormalities cause some heart defects. Other risk factors include maternal smoking (during pregnancy), maternal obesity, maternal diabetes and maternal infections such as rubella
CHD is a chronic condition that requires lifelong care. Surgery is not a cure.
Children with heart defects are often at lifelong risk for other medical problems and cognitive or developmental complications
Parents need for all kinds of support – informational, emotional, and instrumental – to be able to face the stress of caring for a child with CHD
Caring for children with heart defects is a challenging and complex endeavor that causes emotional and financial stress for families, and requires many hospital resources.
There are very few resources dedicated for the care of adult CHD patients in UAE there are only 4 cardiologists formally trained in the care of adult CHD patients, and only four surgeons with adult CHD expertise
For the first time in history there are more adults than children living with CHD thanks to improved treatment and care.
Emarat Atrium Building
Sheikh Zayed Rd - Al Wasl - Dubai,
United Arab Emirates
2nd flour – office No. 225
Tel. 00971 4 222 0966
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Are you interested in helping the Emirates Congenital Heart Association achieve its goals of supporting life-changing people affected and living with challenges with congenital heart disease?
