Congenital heart disease is defined as the structural, functional or positional defect of the heart in isolation or in combination, present from birth, but may manifest at any time after birth or may not manifest at all.

Congenital heart disease remains a problem of major importance particularly for the family physician, who is first in the line of medical professionals, to diagnose and counsel the patients and the family. It is the most common single group of congenital abnormalities accounting for about 30 percent of the total.

The general reported incidence varies from 8-10 per 1000 live newborn population. There are eight common lesions, which account for 85 percent of all cases. They are:

• ventricular septal defect (VSD)
  
  
• patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
  
  
• atrial septal defect (ASD)
  
  
• pulmonary valve stenosis
  
  
• aortic valve stenosis
  
  
• coarctation of the aorta
  
  
• Tetralogy of Fallot
  
  
• Transposition of great arteries
  
  

The remaining 15 percent account for a variety of more rare and complex lesions. Congenital heart disease as a whole, occurs with an equal frequency in males and females but some lesions such as aortic stenosis, coarctation of the aorta are more common in males, while patent ductus arteriosus and atrial septal defects are more common in females. About 13 percent of patients with one heart defect, will have an additional cardiac defect. About 10 to 15 percent of patients with heart defect will have another non-cardiac deformity. The risk of siblings being affected by congenital heart disease is between 2 and 4 percent. So, parents who have had one child with congenital heart disease should, if they wish, be advised by a genetic counselor.