Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery
Vol.26 No.1 2010 (19-28)

Rumiko Matsuoka

International Research and Educational Institute for Integrated Medical Sciences (IREIIMS), Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Tokyo, Japan

Abstract

Congenital cardiovascular diseases are diagnosed in nearly 1% of newborn babies, and are the most common major birth defects. Only in about 15% of patients with congenital cardiovascular diseases has the cause been identified as being chromosomal or single gene disorders with syndromes or one of the primary environmental factors; the etiology of the rest of the cases (85%) is unknown and is considered to be multifactorial inheritance. In this article, the multiple factor inheritances in congenital cardiovascular disease, including those identified in a recent finding, are discussed.