Birth Defects

Congenital Heart Defects

The most common birth defect associated with Bupropion / Wellbutrin is a congenital heart defect. A congenital heart defect (CHD) is a defect in the structure of the heart and great vessels that are present at birth. Many types of heart defects exist, most of which either obstruct blood flow in the heart or vessels near it, or cause blood to flow through the heart in an abnormal pattern. Other defects affect the heart’s rhythm. One particular defect is Coarctation of the Aorta.

Coarctation of the Aorta

Background

Coarctation (ko-ahrk-TAY-shun) of the aorta — or aortic coarctation — is a narrowing of the aorta, the large blood vessel that branches off your heart and delivers oxygen-rich blood to your body. When this occurs, your heart must pump harder to force blood through the narrow part of your aorta. Coarctation of the aorta is generally present at birth (congenital). Coarctation of the aorta may range from mild to severe, and may not be detected until adulthood, depending on how narrowed the aorta is. Coarctation of the aorta often occurs along with other heart defects. While treatment for coarctation of the aorta is usually successful, it’s a condition that requires careful follow-up through infancy and throughout adulthood.

It is believed that ingestion of Wellbutrin during pregnancy can cause aortic coarctation.

Symtpoms

Babies with coarctation of the aorta usually begin having signs and symptoms shortly after birth. These include:

• Pale skin
• Irritability
• Heavy sweating
• Difficulty breathing / shortness of breath
• Dizziness or fainting
• Headaches
• Chest pain
• Cold feet or legs, Leg cramps
• Poor growth

It is recommended that if you have not already done so, you seek medical help for the best interests of your child, including for the following signs or symptoms:

• Severe chest pain
• Fainting
• Sudden shortness of breath
• Unexplained high blood pressure

Increased Risk of Other Problems

If your child has aortic coarctation, he or she may be more likely to be diagnosed with one of the following conditions. Please call 1-800-632-1404 today for help and a free case evaluation.

1. Bicuspid aortic valve. The aortic valve separates the lower left chamber (left ventricle) of the heart from the aorta. A bicuspid aortic valve has two leaflets instead of the usual three.
2. Ventricular septal defect. In this condition, there’s a hole in the wall that separates the two lower chambers (ventricles) of the heart. Oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle mixes with oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle, which pumps blood out to the body.
3. Patent ductus arteriosus. While a baby is still in the womb, the ductus arteriosus is a blood vessel connecting the left pulmonary artery to the aorta, allowing blood to bypass the lungs. Shortly after birth, the ductus arteriosus usually closes. If it remains open, it’s called a patent ductus arteriosus.
4. Aortic valve stenosis. This is a narrowing of the valve that separates the left ventricle of the heart from the aorta. This means your heart has to pump harder to get adequate blood flow to your body. Over time, this can thicken the muscle of your heart and lead to heart failure.
5. Mitral valve stenosis. This is a narrowing of the valve that lets blood flow through the left side of your heart. This means blood may back up into your lungs, causing shortness of breath or lung congestion. Like aortic valve stenosis, this condition can also lead to heart failure.

Complications of coarctation of the aorta include (1) High blood pressure, (2) Stroke, (3) Rupture of the aorta, (4) Premature coronary artery disease — narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the heart, (5) Weakened or bulging artery in the brain (cerebral aneurysm). In addition, if the coarctation of the aorta is severe, your heart may not be able to pump adequate blood to the organs of your body, resulting in the failure of organs such as your kidneys or liver.

Diagnosis

Coarctation is suspected when the physician is unable to feel pulses in the groin or the legs of an infant. A murmur is sometimes, but not always, present in infants with coarctation. The diagnosis of coarctation is usually made with echocardiography, which can define the anatomy of the aorta and evaluate for other cardiac anomalies. When a coarctation goes undetected in the newborn period, it may go unrecognized for many years in some cases. Since the narrowing is generally less severe or has progressed more slowly, the left ventricle has had time to thicken (hypertrophy) in order to pump against the narrowing. After infancy, the most frequent findings leading to the detection of coarctation are a heart murmur, diminished lower extremity pulses, or hypertension (high blood pressure) in the arms. MRI or CT scan may also be used. Cardiac catheterization is rarely necessary for diagnosis.

Treatment

Most newborns with symptoms will have surgery either right after birth or soon afterward. First they will receive medications to stabilize them. Children who are diagnosed when they are older will also need surgery. Usually, the symptoms are not as severe, and more time will be taken to plan for surgery. During surgery, the narrowed part of the aorta will be removed or opened. If the problem area is small, the two free ends of the aorta may be re-connected. This is called anastomosisanastomosis. If a large part of the aorta is removed, a Dacron graftDacron graft (a man-made material) or one of the patient’s own arteries is used to fill the gap. A tube graft connecting two parts of the aorta may also be used.

Sometimes, balloon angioplastyballoon angioplasty may be done instead of surgery, but it has a higher rate of failure. Older children usually need medicines to treat high blood pressure after surgery. Some will need lifelong treatment for this problem.

Prognosis

However, there is an increased risk for death due to heart problems among those who have had their aorta repaired. Without treatment, most people die before age 40. For this reason, doctors usually recommend that the patient has surgery before age 10. Most of the time, surgery to fix the coarctation is done during infancy. Narrowing or coarctation of the artery can return after surgery. This is more likely in persons who had surgery as a newborn.

Complications

1. Aortic aneurysm
2. Aortic dissection
3. Aortic rupture
4. Bleeding in the brain
5. Endocarditis (infection in the heart)
6. Heart failure
7. Hoarseness caused by injury to the nerve to the larynx
8. Impaired kidney function
9. Paralysis of the lower half of the body (rare complication of surgery to repair coarctation)
10. Premature development of coronary artery diseasecoronary artery disease (CAD)
11. Severe high blood pressure
12. Stroke
13. Continued narrowing of the aorta
14. Endocarditis (infection in the heart)
15. High blood pressure

Speak to a Wellbutrin Lawyer about a Wellbutrin Birth Defect Lawsuit

If you or a loved one took Wellbutrin during pregnancy and your child or loved one has developed congenital birth defects, including but in no way limited to heart defects, contact Wellbutrin Attorney Ed Wallis today at 1-800-632-1404.