Can you drink alcohol with a patent ductus arteriosus?

Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
Updated on November 23, 2024
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Under normal circumstances, the ductus arteriosus in newborns gradually closes, and in most infants, the ductus arteriosus is completely closed within three months. However, for some people, even after one year of birth, the ductus arteriosus may not necessarily be diagnosed as congenital patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a heart condition. Patients with this condition often experience pathological cardiac phenomena such as left-to-right shunts or right-to-left shunts. Due to these potential issues, the cardiac workload can worsen, leading to cardiac dysfunction and eventually heart failure. Drinking alcohol can potentially increase the patient's blood pressure and heart rate, adding more strain to the heart and exacerbating the condition. Therefore, it is advised that such patients avoid alcohol until after surgical treatment has been completed and their condition has stabilized. There are two methods of surgical treatment: most cases can be completely cured with interventional therapy, while a minority may require surgical ligation.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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Can you have children if you have a patent ductus arteriosus?

The ductus arteriosus refers to a channel in the fetus that, before birth, allows blood from the maternal placenta to enter the fetus's aorta through the ductus arteriosus and then circulates the blood throughout the body. This channel closes after birth, and in the vast majority of people, it closes within a year. If it remains open until reproductive age, surgery is required because an open ductus arteriosus can lead to deteriorating heart function and, in severe cases, can cause heart failure. Therefore, women with an open ductus arteriosus can have children after treatment. An open ductus arteriosus is not a hereditary disease, and regardless of whether it is present in males or females, it is not genetic and they can have children.

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Written by Tang Li
Cardiology
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Why does patent ductus arteriosus cause a decrease in diastolic pressure?

In patients with patent ductus arteriosus, since the aortic pressure is significantly higher than the pulmonary artery pressure throughout the cardiac cycle, there is continuous blood flow from the aorta into the pulmonary artery through the open duct, causing a left-to-right shunt. This increases the blood volume in the pulmonary circulation, causing dilatation of the pulmonary artery and its branches. The blood flow returning to the left heart system also increases, thereby increasing the load on the left heart and causing the left heart to enlarge. Due to the diastolic diversion of blood from the aorta to the pulmonary artery, the peripheral arterial diastolic pressure decreases and the pulse pressure increases.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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Does a patent ductus arteriosus easily lead to bronchitis?

Patent ductus arteriosus can lead to bronchitis, as this condition can cause recurrent respiratory infections, particularly bronchitis and bronchopneumonia. This is a type of congenital heart disease, and it is recommended that patients undergo regular echocardiography, especially cardiac ultrasound. If the closure of the patent ductus arteriosus is delayed, early surgical treatment is required. This condition can sometimes affect the growth and development of children, and it mainly causes repeated respiratory infections, including bronchitis, particularly issues with pulmonary inflammation, which require early management.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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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.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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Will patent ductus arteriosus show signs of peripheral vascular disease?

Peripheral vascular signs refer to a medical sign characterized by enhanced pulsation of the peripheral arteries and capillaries due to increased pulse pressure. Patients with a patent ductus arteriosus can experience increased pulse pressure, leading to rapid rises and falls in pressure within the peripheral vessels, thereby causing a series of peripheral vascular signs. When a patent ductus arteriosus is combined with peripheral vascular signs, indicating a substantial shunt, it is advisable for such individuals to undergo surgery as soon as possible. Delaying surgery may lead to a right-to-left shunt, resulting in Eisenmenger's syndrome, and the loss of the opportunity for surgical intervention.