Does ventricular septal defect affect growth and development?

Written by Di Zhi Yong

Cardiology

Updated on November 29, 2024

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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 Tang Li

Cardiology

1min 13sec

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How to treat atrial septal defect

Typical cardiac murmur ECG and X-ray findings may suggest the presence of an atrial septal defect. An echocardiogram can confirm the diagnosis, and it should be differentiated from conditions such as anomalous pulmonary venous return, pulmonary valve stenosis, and small ventricular septal defects. For the treatment of atrial septal defects, in adult patients, if echocardiographic evidence of increased right ventricular volume load is present, the defect should be closed as soon as possible. Treatment options include interventional and open-heart surgical procedures. Before the implementation of interventional surgeries, all cases of simple atrial septal defects that have caused hemodynamic changes, with signs of increased pulmonary blood flow, enlargement of the atria and ventricles, and corresponding ECG findings, should undergo surgical treatment. In older patients with severe pulmonary hypertension, surgical treatment should be approached with caution.

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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 Tang Li

Cardiology

56sec

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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

36sec

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Can someone with atrial septal defect travel by airplane?

Atrial septal defect is a relatively common congenital heart disease in daily life. Many patients with atrial septal defect often ask if they can fly on planes. This depends on the specific condition. If the atrial septal defect is combined with severe cardiac damage, such as heart failure, then flying is definitely not allowed. However, if the atrial septal defect is mild, not severe, without clinical symptoms or cardiac damage, then it is indeed possible to fly. It is recommended for those in this condition to visit a cardiology outpatient clinic at a hospital and ask a doctor to make an assessment.

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Written by Tang Li

Cardiology

51sec

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Can atrial septal defect be cured?

Atrial septal defect is a common congenital heart disease. When the defect is small, some patients may heal naturally. In recent years, with the development of interventional technology for congenital heart diseases, most patients with atrial septal defects can be completely cured through interventional treatment, and some through surgical treatment. However, some patients have a large atrial septal defect with significant left-to-right shunting, leading to severe pulmonary arterial hypertension and right heart failure, which generally results in a poor prognosis. Some patients also have complications such as atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation. Certain patients may experience right heart failure due to excessive load on the right ventricle, and these patients often have a poor prognosis.