Symptoms & Signs
- Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia)
- Bluish lips, fingers, toes, and skin (cyanosis)
- Chest pain
- Coughing up blood
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Feeling tired
- Shortness of breath
- Stroke
- Swelling in the joints caused by too much uric acid (gout)
Diagnosis & Tests
The doctor will examine the child. During the exam, the doctor may find:
- Enlarged fingers and toes (clubbing)
- Heart murmur (an extra sound when listening to the heart)
The doctor will diagnose Eisenmenger syndrome by looking at the patient’s history of heart problems. Tests may include:
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Chest x-ray
- MRI scan of the heart
- Putting a thin tube in an artery to view the heart and blood vessels and measure pressures (cardiac catheterization)
- Test of the electrical activity in the heart (electrocardiogram)
- Ultrasound of the heart (echocardiogram)
The number of cases of this condition in the United States has dropped because doctors are now able to diagnose and correct the defect sooner, before the irreversible damage to the small lung arteries occurs.
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Eisenmenger syndrome : Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
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Eisenmenger syndrome : Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
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Eisenmenger syndrome : Treatment
Review Date : 2/5/2010
Reviewed By : Kurt R. Schumacher, MD, Pediatric Cardiology, University of Michigan Congenital Heart Center, Ann Arbor, MI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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