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Patent ductus arteriosus
Is it easy to get pneumonia if the arterial duct is not closed?
Because patent ductus arteriosus is a type of congenital disease, particularly congenital heart disease, it is recommended that patients visit a hospital for a cardiac ultrasound. This can help clarify the diagnosis and thus determine the treatment plan. A simple patent ductus arteriosus can sometimes close on its own. For those that do not close or are underdeveloped, surgical treatment can be used to alleviate the current condition. This is important because the disease can easily lead to pneumonia, especially recurrent respiratory infections. Sometimes, there may be developmental anomalies, particularly affecting the growth and changes in the child's height and weight. In these cases, early surgical treatment is still recommended.
Is a patent ductus arteriosus funnel type severe?
The arterial duct is a pathway through which blood from the maternal placenta is delivered to the fetus. This pathway usually closes at birth, and in most cases, it successfully closes within three months. If it remains open after one year, it can be diagnosed as a patent ductus arteriosus. The shapes of the arterial duct include funnel-shaped, tubular, and window-type. Regardless of the type, if it does not cause serious cardiac complications, it can be addressed with interventional treatments or surgical procedures, making it a relatively non-severe condition. However, if the patent ductus arteriosus remains open for a long time, leading to severe pulmonary arterial hypertension and even left-to-right shunts causing serious cardiac dysfunction, it is considered severe. Therefore, the shape of the patent ductus arteriosus does not have diagnostic significance regarding the severity of the condition. Rather, the severity is assessed based on the patient's symptoms, evaluation of cardiac function through echocardiography, and the condition of pulmonary artery pressure. In the early stages, most cases of patent ductus arteriosus are not very serious and can be resolved through treatment.
Can you swim with patent ductus arteriosus?
If the patient has a history of patent ductus arteriosus, it is recommended that they avoid vigorous exercise, as this can increase the heart's oxygen consumption, leading to symptoms such as palpitations, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing. If it is solely this condition, sometimes palpitations may occur, leading to changes in cardiac function. It is advised not to swim. While appropriate exercise can be beneficial, swimming requires better cardiopulmonary function. It is recommended that patients undergo early surgical treatment to improve their current condition.
Can a patent ductus arteriosus heal by itself?
The ductus arteriosus is a duct that fetal blood must pass through as it is transported from the placenta to the aorta. This duct connects between the main pulmonary artery and the aorta of the fetus and generally closes on its own after birth. Most patients can close it spontaneously within three months, but the likelihood of closure diminishes if it surpasses one year. Therefore, for patent ductus arteriosus, some people can heal on their own, while others, especially children over one year old, cannot heal by themselves and are advised to undergo surgery as soon as possible. This is because the patent ductus arteriosus can cause a condition similar to an arteriovenous fistula, increasing the workload on the heart, leading to cardiac hypertrophy and eventual heart failure.
Can you get pregnant with patent ductus arteriosus?
Firstly, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is not a hereditary disease, so both males and females with PDA can reproduce. However, if the individual is female, it is advisable to treat PDA before pregnancy, as pregnancy can increase the load on the heart. Patients with PDA often have poorer cardiac function. If they are asymptomatic, their compensatory abilities may be reduced. Therefore, for safety, it is recommended that patients with PDA consider conception after minimally invasive interventional treatment or surgical treatment, which is safer. The majority of PDAs can be treated with minimally invasive procedures, so the trauma is relatively minor, and there is no need for excessive worry.
Can you get pregnant with patent ductus arteriosus?
Patent ductus arteriosus refers to a congenital channel between the aorta and the pulmonary artery that fails to close. This can lead to a mixing of blood between the veins and arteries, thus deteriorating heart function. Generally, individuals with this condition can become pregnant after treatment. Patent ductus arteriosus is a congenital heart defect that does not have hereditary properties and does not prevent one from having children. However, it is advised for individuals with this condition to undergo surgical treatment before attempting to conceive and bear children. If the ductus arteriosus remains untreated, the increased heart load during late pregnancy can cause symptoms such as difficulty breathing and respiratory distress. It is recommended that these individuals undergo minimally invasive surgical treatment or conventional surgical treatment before planning for pregnancy, as this will be more appropriate.
Is patent ductus arteriosus related to staying up late during pregnancy?
The arterial duct refers to a continuous duct between the main trunk of the pulmonary artery and the aorta during the embryonic period of the fetus. Through this duct, blood from the placenta can be delivered to the infant's body for tissue oxygenation. Therefore, the arterial duct is originally a normal tissue in the embryo. After the birth of the infant, the majority of arterial ducts will close within a few months. If it has not closed after one year, it can be diagnosed as congenital patent ductus arteriosus. Therefore, there is no relationship between patent ductus arteriosus and staying up late during pregnancy.
What are the symptoms of patent ductus arteriosus?
Patients with patent ductus arteriosus may exhibit several clinical manifestations based on the amount of shunting. 1. Small shunt volume: The internal diameter of the patent ductus arteriosus is small, and the patient may exhibit no subjective symptoms. The prominent sign is a continuous machinery murmur heard at the left sternal border at the second intercostal space and below the left clavicle, accompanied by a thrill; pulse pressure may slightly increase. 2. Moderate shunt: Patients commonly experience fatigue, palpitations, shortness of breath, and chest discomfort after exertion. The heart murmur is similar in character to the above but louder, accompanied by a thrill, and widely transmitted. At times, diastolic and mild systolic murmurs caused by left ventricular enlargement, relative mitral valve insufficiency, and stenosis can be heard at the apex, with a positive vascular sign. 3. Large shunt volume: This condition in a patent ductus arteriosus often accompanies secondary severe pulmonary hypertension, leading to a right-to-left shunt. The typical murmur's diastolic component may diminish or disappear, followed by the disappearance of the systolic murmur, and only a diastolic murmur due to pulmonic valve insufficiency can be heard. Patients often exhibit cyanosis and severe clinical symptoms.
Is patent ductus arteriosus related to pregnancy?
The ductus arteriosus is a vital conduit in the fetus during intrauterine life, connecting the blood from the placenta to the pulmonary artery and the aorta, enabling the placental blood to reach the aorta and supply blood to the entire body of the fetus. Usually, if the fetus is viable, there should be no issues, so the non-closure of the ductus arteriosus is not related to the pregnancy period. After the birth of the fetus, as the lungs expand and heart function changes, the ductus arteriosus will automatically begin to close. In the vast majority of infants, the ductus arteriosus will likely close after three months of birth. If it has not completely closed within one year, it is considered that the child has patent ductus arteriosus. Therefore, in most cases, patent ductus arteriosus is not related to the pregnancy period. There might be a small fraction of cases where it could be due to poor development during the pregnancy, preventing the timely closure of the ductus arteriosus; however, in most cases, it is unrelated to the pregnancy period.
Is surgery necessary for an unclosed arterial duct?
Patent ductus arteriosus is a type of congenital heart disease. Currently, surgical treatment is recommended for patients because it involves minimally invasive techniques. Additionally, post-surgery recovery is quick, and there are fewer complications. Particularly for this disease, medication is often not very effective and does not achieve the therapeutic goal. Surgical treatment can completely resolve the patient's issues, thereby reducing the frequency of recurrence and not affecting the child's growth and development. In the meantime, it is still vital to actively prevent respiratory infections.