(LifeWire) - Atrial septal defect (ASD), also known as a "hole in the heart," is a condition in which the wall (septum) between the heart's two upper chambers (atria) is not completely closed.
This defect is congenital, meaning that it is present at birth. If the hole in the septum is large, it can cause complications that require immediate surgical repair in infancy. If the hole is small, it may go undetected until much later in life.
Symptoms of Atrial Septal Defect
- Difficulty breathing, especially as activity increases
- Recurring respiratory infections
- Heart palpitations -- a sense that the heart has suddenly sped up or "skipped" a beat
If these symptoms lead a doctor to suspect there is an ASD, he or she may first listen with a stethoscope for a "murmur," although this symptom isn't present in all cases of ASD. A murmur is an extra or unusual sound heard during a heartbeat; a doctor may hear a murmur through the stethoscope when listening to the heart of a patient who has complained of heart palpitations.
Diagnostic procedures such as cardiac catheterization or an electrocardiogram can help to confirm the condition.
How Atrial Septal Defect Is Treated
In the past, major surgery has been the only way to repair an ASD. Now, a closure device can be placed on the defect with the help of a thin tube called a catheter. The catheter is inserted through a small incision in the groin and fed through the blood vessels and into the heart. Once the catheter has reached the heart, the closure device can be pushed out of the catheter and placed over the ASD.
Some symptoms of ASD can be controlled with medication. For instance, a diuretic, which rids the body of excess fluid, can be prescribed to make the heart's job easier.
Outlook for Patients with Atrial Septal Defect
Someone who has a small ASD can live a perfectly normal life and may never know of the defect.
A patient with a large ASD that has gone unrepaired may develop complications, including:
- Atrial fibrillation, in which blood isn't effectively pumped out of the atria, potentially clotting and leading to a stroke
- Pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the arteries leading to the lungs)
- Congestive heart failure, in which a weakened heart can no longer supply blood to all of the body's organs
Sources:
"Atrial Fibrillation." americanheart.org. American Heart Association. 24 Aug. 2008 <http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4451>.
"Atrial Septal Defect." nlm.nih.gov. 12 May 2008. National Institutes of Health. 24 Aug. 2008 <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000157.htm>.
"Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)." americanheart.org. 24 Aug. 2008. American Heart Association. 24 Aug. 2008 <http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=11065>.
"Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)." nhlbi.nih.gov. 1 Dec. 2007. National Institutes of Health. 24 Aug. 2008 <http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/holes/holes_whatare.html>.
"Pulmonary Hypertension." americanheart.org. American Heart Association. <http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=11076>.
