Heart Conditions

• A to Z: Atresia

  Learn about congenital defects and conditions that affect vessels, valves, and passages in the heart and other organs.

• Aortic Stenosis

  Aortic stenosis means the aortic valve is too small, narrow, or stiff. Many people have no symptoms, but kids with more severe cases will need surgery so that blood flows properly through the body.

• Cardiac Catheterization

  Cardiac catheterization helps doctors perform diagnostic tests on the heart and even treat some heart conditions.

• Heart and Circulatory System

  The heart and circulatory system are our body’s lifeline, delivering blood to the body’s tissues..

• Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)

  Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a birth defect of a baby’s heart. The left side of the heart doesn’t grow as it should, making it smaller and weaker than normal.

• Single Ventricle Defects

  Usually, a heart has two working ventricles (pumping chambers). Having a single ventricle means that only one of the two ventricles works well enough to pump blood.

• What Is a Cardiac Catheterization? (Video)

  A cardiac catheterization is a procedure that cardiologists (heart doctors) do. They put a catheter (a long, thin tube) into a blood vessel, then guide it the heart.

  Cardiac catheterizations help doctors diagnose and treat many different heart problems.

• What’s Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)? (Video)

  Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is a problem that happens when the left side of a baby’s heart doesn’t form as it should. It’s smaller than normal and can’t pump enough blood to the body. After the baby is born, doctors can treat the problem with medicines and several surgeries.