Do i have cardiovascular/ heart disease?

I have congenital heart disease. Is my chest just hurting? Or is it because of my heart disease?

• I found out in 5th grade that I had congenital heart disease. They said they'd keep an eye out and check me every year to see if my heart was enlarged. Mine is where the oxygenated blood recirculates and passes through the unclosed passageways. Today my chest started to hurt. Right in the middle. I don't know, I was laughing and smiling, then had some sharp pains in my chest. Later it spread toward my lower ribs. Now it hurts to move and laugh. I latex down on my bed and when I tried to shift on my side, I had even worse pains than before. Could this be because of my heart disease? Or is my body just growing? Or something else? Because I am so confused and have no knowledge of this. I only know what the doctor told me. Please help.

• Answer:

  You may have atrial septal defect or most probably, ventricular septal defect (VSD). Larger VSDs, small ones in certain parts of the ventricular septum, or ones that cause heart failure or endocarditis (inflammation) need open-heart surgery. The hole in the septum is usually closed with a patch. Some septal defects can be closed without surgery. The procedure involves passing a small wire into the heart and placing a patch over the defect. The surgeon is guided by x-rays. Possible Complications if surgery is not done:-- * Aortic insufficiency (leaking of the valve that separates the left ventricle from the aorta) * Damage to the electrical conduction system of the heart during surgery (causing an irregular heart rhythm) * Delayed growth and development (failure to thrive in infancy) * Heart failure * Infective endocarditis (bacterial infection of the heart) * Pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs) leading to failure of the right side of the heart Consult your cardiologist.