Birth Defects: Atrial And Ventricular Septal Defect

Septal defect is a heart deformity wherein a hole is found in the wall separating the left and right chambers. It is present at birth and can either be an atrial septal defect or a ventricular septal defect. They are called as such depending on the location of the hole. In atrial septal defect, a hole is found in the wall (septum) between the left and right upper chambers (atria) of the heart. On the other hand, an opening in the wall in the lower chambers (ventricle) of the heart is found in ventricular septal defects. Some causes associated with the condition are genetics and side effects of medication, Paxil side effectsfor instance, taken during pregnancy.

About 9 percent of all congenital heart defects is atrial septal defect. There are three sub-classifications of ASD, depending on the location of the hole. The symptoms of the condition are affected by the size and position of the whole. Generally, the child manifests no symptoms and will be able to feel and grow normally like any child. However, if the hole is large and is more severe, a child will manifest poor weight gain, decreased tolerance to exercise, frequent upper respiratory tract infections, poor growth, shortness of breath and poor appetite. ASDs are seldom diagnosed early in life. The murmur associated with ASD is not as loud and can be harder to hear than other heart murmurs so it may be diagnosed any time between infancy and adolescence. Serious complications may arise as the child grows older if the condition remains untreated. Luckily, for most kids today, detection is possible even before onset of symptoms. Closure of the hole in the soonest possible time is recommended by experts.

The most common type of CHD is ventricular septal defect which compromises 25% of the total congenital heart defects. The size of the hole determines the severity of the symptoms. Small VSDs produce no symptoms and has high spontaneous closure rate during the first year of life. It can be determined by the health care provider when a loud heart murmur is audible upon auscultation. VSD symptoms begin to appear 1-6 months after birth when the left ventricle starts to malfunction. Symptoms include, feeding difficulty, poor weigh gain, failure to thrive, very fast heartbeats, sweating, fast breathing, and pallor. More severe health problems may arise if the condition stays undiagnosed and untreated. If not repaired surgically, it may lead to irreversible pulmonary hypertension, which has a poor prognosis.

Both atrial and ventricular defects are fatal. Early detection and management is the key. Constant consultation to a doctor is important. To know more about the septal defects and other birth defects, it is best to talk to your doctor.