Topic Overview

Adults with congenital heart defects can live long, full, and active lives. There are many things you can do to stay healthy and live well. These include having a heart-healthy lifestyle, preventing infections, and getting regular checkups. You might have unique issues with things like birth control and pregnancy.

Health care and health insurance

Adults who have congenital heart defects need routine checkups. You may have regular tests to check on your heart and overall health.

Be sure you have a primary care physician. You might also need to see your cardiologist on a regular basis, such as once a year.

If you are changing health insurance plans or applying for new coverage, research your options carefully before you change policies. For more information, see Understanding Health Insurance.

Heart-healthy lifestyle

This lifestyle can help keep your heart and body healthy.

This lifestyle means that you:

• Eat a heart-healthy diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and low-fat or nonfat dairy foods.
• Take your medicines exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor if you think you are having a problem with your medicine.
• Be active on most, if not all, days of the week. Ask your doctor first to see if you need to limit activity.
• Lose weight if you need to, and stay at a healthy weight.
• Don’t smoke.
• Manage other health problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
• Get recommended vaccines, such as the flu vaccine.

Physical activity

Most adults with congenital heart defects don’t have to limit how much activity they do. But restrictions on the intensity or type of exercise might be needed. This will depend on the type of defect and/or how severe it is. If you have restrictions, you can still be active and enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

Endocarditis prevention

A congenital heart defect can raise the risk of an infection in the heart called endocarditis. Bacteria in the mouth cause most cases of it. If you are at high risk, you might take antibiotics before you have dental and surgical procedures that could put bacteria or fungi into your blood. The antibiotics lower the risk of getting endocarditis.

Ask your doctor and dentist if you need antibiotics before procedures.

Also, take good care of your teeth and any types of infections.

Birth control options

If you have a congenital heart defect, you also will need to carefully consider the type of birth control you use. You will want to use a form that poses the lowest risk to your health.

Talk with your family doctor, gynecologist, or cardiologist about the right option for you.

Pregnancy

Both women and men with a congenital heart defect need to think about a few things when planning a pregnancy. These include the risk of passing a heart defect to your child as well as the possible health risks of a pregnancy in a woman with a heart defect.

Employment

Most adults with congenital heart defects don’t have limitations on what kind of job they can have. But before you start career planning, get an expert opinion from your doctor about your physical capabilities and risk for future heart problems. With this information, you can make realistic choices and get appropriate training.

Some adults with congenital heart defects may be restricted from certain types of jobs because of the potential risks to others in the event that they aren’t able to carry out their duties because of physical problems. But this doesn’t mean that you should otherwise be restricted in your employment options.

Although very few adults with congenital heart defects are considered disabled, employers may negatively assess an adult’s capabilities because of false ideas about the condition. Become informed about your legal rights. For example, your health status should not be part of a job interview. Also, in the United States, you have some protection with federal regulations, such as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999.