Can someone with an atrial septal defect go swimming?

Written by Li Hai Wen

Cardiology

Updated on September 28, 2024

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Atrial septal defect is not uncommon in our daily lives. Many patients with atrial septal defects often ask their doctor if they can swim. This has to be analyzed based on specific circumstances. If the atrial septal defect is not severe, and it's just a minor atrial septal defect, generally it does not affect the patient's daily activities, such as swimming or running. However, if the atrial septal defect is severe, especially if it has led to heart failure and heart enlargement, in this situation, one should definitely not engage in strenuous activities such as swimming or running.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong

Cardiology

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What should be paid attention to daily with an atrial septal defect?

If the patient has an atrial septal defect, it is advised that the patient should adhere to a light diet and regularly visit the hospital for electrocardiogram and echocardiography checks. If the defect is relatively large, I personally recommend surgical treatment for the patient, as it can effectively alleviate the current condition. After all, while drug treatment has some effect, there is a risk of recurrence. Surgery can permanently treat atrial septal defects and improve the patient’s symptoms. If the patient experiences difficulty breathing, this needs to be addressed. Additionally, it is important to keep warm, avoid catching cold, and monitor changes in the patient’s heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse.

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Cardiology

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Can medication be taken for atrial septal defect?

Patients with small atrial septal defects and no related symptoms, pulmonary hypertension, or ventricular enlargement generally do not need specific medication. If symptoms do occur, interventional or surgical treatment should be chosen. Medication is necessary only if there is accompanying heart failure, pulmonary infection, or arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation. In the case of infections like pneumonia or infective endocarditis, appropriate antibiotics or antiviral medications should be actively used. When heart failure occurs, medications to control arrhythmias, such as vasodilators, diuretics, and agents to control ventricular rate, are required.

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Written by Tang Li

Cardiology

1min 26sec

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How does septal defect shunt?

Atrial septal defect is the most common congenital heart disease in adults, accounting for 20%-30% of all adult congenital heart conditions. The impact of an atrial septal defect on hemodynamics primarily depends on the amount of shunting. Due to higher pressure in the left atrium compared to the right atrium, a left-to-right shunt is formed. The amount of shunting depends on the size of the defect, as well as the compliance of the left and right ventricles and the relative resistance in the systemic and pulmonary circulations. Diseases that affect the compliance of the left ventricle, such as hypertension and coronary artery disease, can increase the extent of the left-to-right shunt. A continuous increase in pulmonary blood flow leads to pulmonary congestion, increasing the load on the right heart. Pulmonary vascular compliance decreases, progressing from functional pulmonary arterial hypertension to organic pulmonary arterial hypertension. As right heart system pressure continuously increases and eventually exceeds the pressure in the left heart system, the original left-to-right shunt reverses to become a right-to-left shunt, resulting in cyanosis.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong

Cardiology

43sec

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Does ventricular septal defect affect growth and development?

Because atrial septal defect is a type of congenital heart disease, if the patient's congenital heart disease is very severe, surgical treatment is needed. Atrial septal defect does have some impact on growth and development, as congenital heart disease can cause infections or pulmonary inflammation in patients, which can lead to developmental delays in children. Personally, I recommend that if it is a type of congenital heart disease, especially atrial septal defect, it is better to have surgery early, as this can avoid impacting growth and development. After the surgery, there are no sequelae, and it does not affect growth and development. However, not undergoing surgery can impact growth and development.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong

Cardiology

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Does an asymptomatic atrial septal defect require treatment?

If the patient has a ventricular septal defect and shows no obvious symptoms, it is possible to initially observe the condition. Firstly, this is a type of congenital heart disease, and it is recommended that the patient undergo a cardiac echocardiography to further confirm the diagnosis. If the defect is relatively large, surgery might sometimes be recommended. If the defect is not very large and the patient shows no obvious symptoms, there might be no need for immediate intervention, and regular monitoring would suffice. During this period, it is still important to monitor changes in the patient's blood pressure and heart rate. If the heart rate is too fast or the blood pressure is high, it might sometimes be necessary to actively treat these issues, possibly using medication to improve symptoms. In terms of treatment, surgery is generally advised as the main approach since medication often does not yield very effective results for this condition.