Key Points : Congenital Heart Disease
in Down Syndrome

40 to 60 percent of babies born with Down syndrome will have a
congenital heart anomaly

Diagnosis
may
be
made
antenatally
by
specialised
fetal
echocardiography

Clinical examination alone is insufficient to detect all of even the most
serious heart disease in newborns and young babies

A normal echocardiogram does not rule out heart disease, but should
exclude the major conditions

Less serious conditions such as small holes, persistent arterial ducts
and atrial septal defects may not be detected by examination or
echocardiogram, so continue vigilance is required.

The risk of pulmonary hypertension is greater in those with Down
syndrome than in the general population and may be due to congenital
heart disease, with or without concurrent airways disease.

Without surgical correction of cardiac defects irreversible pulmonary
vascular disease can occur causing significant morbidity and
premature death.

Screening for congenital heart disease in the newborn period is
essential with prompt cardiological opinion where necessary to allow
for early surgical correction