Pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborns (PPHN) is characterized by postnatally persistent vasoconstriction of the pulmonary arteries, causing increased pulmonary arterial resistance. As a consequence, right-left shunting (extra-pulmonary shunts) occurs through foramen ovale apertum (FOA) and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) with resultant hypoxemia. Also, pulmonary arteries in neonates are more prone to vasoconstriction than in adults. There is primary (impaired development…

Congenital heart defects

Congenital heart defects

Critical congenital heart defects (CCHD) present during the neonatal period with cyanosis and/or cardiac failure depending on the particular defect and its severity. The incidence of the CCHD is approximately 1-3 : 1000. These defects can be diagnosed antenatally, however, anomaly scan detection rates vary significantly among different countries and also within the same country (e.g. 33-70% prenatal CCHD diagnosis in…