Resources & education
Information for kids
 All about the heart
We see and hear about hearts everywhere. So what's the heart up to, then? How does it keep busy? What does it look like? Let's find out. - How your heart works
If you've ever wondered how your heart works, this movie has the answer!
- Heart disease
You know how important your heart is, so it's no wonder people worry when they hear someone has heart problems.
- Atrial septal defect
The last time Jeremy had a physical exam, his doctor listened to his heart once — and then he listened to it some more. At the end of the appointment, the doctor told Jeremy and his mom that he heard a heart murmur. Jeremy had to visit another doctor, who listened to his heart again and said that he had a condition called an atrial septal defect. What is it? Why does Jeremy have it? And what needs to be done about it?
- Heart murmurs
You know the sound of your heartbeat: lub-dub, lub-dub. In some people, there's an extra noise that the blood makes as it flows through the heart. It sounds sort of like the noise of water flowing through a hose. This sound is called a murmur (say: mer-mer).
- Mitral valve prolapse
Many kids and grown-ups have something called mitral valve prolapse (say: my-trul valv pro-laps). For most people, it's a heart problem that isn't much to worry about.
- What's cholesterol?
If you've ever gone to the grocery store or food market, you've probably seen foods with labels on them that say "low in cholesterol." But what is cholesterol, and why is it a good thing for food to be low in it?
Information for teens
- How the heart and circulatory system work
The heart and circulatory system (also called the cardiovascular system) make up the network that delivers blood to the body's tissues.
- Heart disease
You know how important your heart is, so it's no wonder people worry when they hear someone has heart problems.
- Atrial septal defect
Atrial septal defect (pronounced: ay-tree-ul sep-tul dee-fekt), or ASD for short, is sometimes referred to as a hole in the heart. It's a type of congenital heart disease, which means a person is born with it.
- Heart murmurs
This diagnosis is actually extremely common. In fact, many kids are found to have a heart murmur at some point during their lives. Most murmurs are not a cause for concern and do not affect the child's health at all.
- Mitral valve prolapse
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP), a very common heart condition, occurs when one of the heart's valves doesn't work properly. MVP can be frightening because it involves the heart and can cause sharp chest pains, but it isn't a critical heart problem or a sign of other serious medical conditions.
- What is cholesterol
Before you start chomping on those cheese fries or that burger, you might want to take a closer look at whether you're getting too much cholesterol.
Information for parents
- How the heart and circulatory system work
The heart and circulatory system are our body's lifeline, delivering blood to the body's tissues. Brush up on the ticker with these cardiovascular basics.
- Heart disease
You know how important your heart is, so it's no wonder people worry when they hear someone has heart problems.
- When your child has a heart defect
Learning that your child has a heart issue can be scary. Learning about heart defects can help you beat the fear and become a stronger advocate for your child.
- Atrial septal defect
An atrial septal defect (ASD) — sometimes referred to as a hole in the heart — is a type of congenital heart defect in which there is an abnormal opening in the dividing wall between the upper filling chambers of the heart (the atria). In most cases ASDs are diagnosed and treated successfully with few or no complications.
- Heart murmurs and your child
Many parents fear the worst when their child is diagnosed with a heart murmur, but this diagnosis is actually extremely common. In fact, many kids are found to have a heart murmur at some point during their lives. Most murmurs are not a cause for concern and do not affect the child's health.
- Mitral valve prolapse
Mitral valve prolapse (MVP), a very common heart condition, occurs when one of the heart's valves doesn't work properly. MVP can be frightening because it involves the heart and can cause sharp chest pains, but it isn't a critical heart problem or a sign of other serious medical conditions.
- Cholesterol and your child
Most parents probably don't think about what cholesterol means for their kids. But high levels of cholesterol are a major factor contributing to heart disease and stroke, and medical research shows that cardiovascular disease has its roots in childhood. And with the dramatic increase in childhood obesity, more and more kids are at risk.
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