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

Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
Updated on November 27, 2024
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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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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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Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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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
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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 Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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Can atrial septal defect of the patent foramen ovale type heal itself?

This disease is a congenital heart disease, and it is recommended that the patient undergo a cardiac echocardiography. If symptoms such as palpitations and chest tightness occur, and distinct murmurs can be heard in the precordial area, surgical treatment is sometimes advised. After all, an atrial septal defect can lead to certain conditions, especially in children who are prone to pediatric pneumonia or bronchitis, which can affect their growth and development. Currently, surgical treatment is the main approach. If the issue is not very serious, the defect might heal on its own as the child grows, but this possibility is relatively small. In most cases, surgery is recommended.

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Written by Tang Li
Cardiology
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Is atrial septal defect common?

Atrial septal defect accounts for about 20%-30% of all congenital heart diseases and is more common in females. Many cases are mild in children and are not discovered until adulthood. Atrial septal defects can be classified based on anatomical abnormalities into patent foramen ovale, primary atrial septal defect, and secondary atrial septal defect. A patent foramen ovale generally does not cause shunting between the two atria. A primary atrial septal defect is located at the lower part of the atrial septum, is semicircular in shape, and is often larger, frequently associated with malformation of the mitral or tricuspid valves resulting in regurgitation. A secondary atrial septal defect is situated in the middle of the atrial septum at the fossa ovalis or near the superior and inferior vena cava. The symptoms of an atrial septal defect vary with the size of the defect; minor cases may be asymptomatic, while severe cases can result in heart failure.