Can people with atrial septal defect run?

Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
Updated on February 11, 2025
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Atrial septal defect is a type of congenital heart disease. It is advised that patients avoid long-distance travel or running as these activities can increase the burden on the heart and also increase myocardial oxygen consumption. Surgical treatment is recommended for this condition. Patients with atrial septal defect may also experience symptoms such as palpitations and chest tightness, and a murmur can be heard in the precordial area. If the symptoms are severe, it is recommended that the patient primarily rests and avoids participating in sports activities, especially running. Running can require a lot of oxygen, or cause a rapid heart rate. A rapid heart rate can lead to increased myocardial oxygen consumption and may result in compensatory symptoms like palpitations, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. This situation is very dangerous and needs to be dealt with promptly; it is best to go to the hospital.

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Written by Cai Li E
Cardiology
1min 38sec home-news-image

Atrial septal defect can cause which complications?

Small atrial septal defects generally are asymptomatic, whereas medium to large atrial septal defects may result in pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure. The impact of an atrial septal defect on hemodynamics mainly depends on the amount of shunting, which in turn is determined by the size of the defect. It also relates to the compliance of the left and right ventricles and the relative resistance of the systemic and pulmonary circulation. Continued increase in pulmonary blood flow leads to pulmonary congestion, increasing right heart volume load. Pulmonary vascular compliance decreases, evolving from functional to organic pulmonary hypertension. This in turn continuously increases right heart system pressure until it surpasses the pressure of the left heart system, causing the original left-to-right shunt to reverse to a right-to-left shunt, leading to cyanosis. Atrial septal defects are generally asymptomatic but with the progression of the condition, symptoms such as exertional dyspnea, arrhythmias, and right heart failure may occur. In the advanced stages, about 15% of patients with severe pulmonary hypertension exhibit a right-to-left shunt and cyanosis, leading to the formation of Eisenmenger syndrome.

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Written by Tang Li
Cardiology
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Imaging manifestations of atrial septal defect

The imaging characteristics of ventricular septal defects are as follows: 1. Small defects: Normal cardiac silhouette, or left ventricular hypertrophy, with mild pulmonary congestion. 2. Medium defects: Left ventricular hypertrophy or biventricular hypertrophy, enlarged pulmonary artery segment, smaller aortic knob. 3. Large defects: Both ventricles enlarged, left atrium enlarged, prominent pulmonary artery segment, significant pulmonary congestion. When pulmonary hypertension with right-to-left shunting occurs, the pulmonary artery segment is markedly prominent, but the lung fields are clear, and the heart shadow is smaller than before.

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Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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Postoperative complications of atrial septal defect intervention surgery

Atrial septal defect is a relatively common congenital heart disease in clinical practice. Minimally invasive interventional treatment can effectively address atrial septal defects and generally leaves no surgical scars. The complications of atrial septal defects can be analyzed from the following aspects: First, puncture complications. Atrial septal defects require the puncture of the femoral vein. A small number of patients may experience complications such as arteriovenous fistula, pseudoaneurysm, or hematoma at the puncture site. Generally, these complications are not serious and do not endanger the patient's life. Second, complications from dislodged occlusion devices. If the occlusion device becomes dislodged, it can lead to serious complications, including obstruction of the relevant blood vessels. Third, hemolytic reactions. A small number of patients may develop hemolytic reactions to the occlusion device. Such complications are also quite serious; however, they are very rare in clinical practice and do not require excessive concern.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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Can people with atrial septal defect go to the plateau?

A mild atrial septal defect, such as one smaller than 3mm, allows for a normal life without any impact. In fact, some people only discover this condition during medical exams in their seventies or eighties. Therefore, it is safe for these individuals to travel to high altitudes. However, a larger atrial septal defect often causes symptoms like tightness in the chest, palpitations, and difficulty breathing after hypoxia or intense exercise. These patients have poorer compensatory abilities and are advised against going to high altitudes to avoid high altitude sickness. If such patients need to go to high altitude, it is recommended that they consider surgery before doing so.

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Written by Tang Li
Cardiology
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Can a ventricular septal defect heal itself?

Traditional views suggest that the best age to close atrial septal defects (ASDs) is between four and five years old, during preschool. The possibility of spontaneous closure of atrial septal defects larger than 8 millimeters in diameter is very low. If the defect is less than 4 millimeters, there is a possibility of healing. Currently, it is advocated that if an atrial septal defect still exists after the age of one year, and there is evident systolic murmur and fixed splitting of the second heart sound, or if heart catheterization and echocardiography show left-to-right shunting greater than 1.5:1, indicating a defect diameter of five to six millimeters or more, early surgery should be pursued to stop the left-to-right shunt to avoid causing pulmonary hypertension and endocarditis.