Ventricular Septal Defect (cont.)
What about unusual cases of VSD?
There are rare cases of VSD that may be harder to treat. These are most commonly VSDs
which are associated with other cardiac defects (for example, Tetralogy of Fallot, coarctation of the aorta, etc.). Cases with multiple VSDs ("Swiss cheese" defects) are also harder to treat.
What are long-term precautions with VSDs?
Repaired or not, whether small or large, a VSD creates an increased risk for infections of the heart walls and valves (endocarditis). Such an infection may be life-threatening. To help prevent endocarditis, everyone with a VSD (repaired or not) needs to take antibiotics before dental procedures, including cleaning and other dental care, and before surgical procedures on the mouth or throat. Previous recommendations for preoperative antibiotics before instrumentation of the urinary tract or lower intestinal trace were rescinded by the American Heart Association in 2007.
- VSD is a hole in the wall (septum) separating the ventricles of the
heart.
- VSD is the most common type of heart malformation present at birth
(congenital heart disease).
- VSD lets blood shunt from the left ventricle to the right ventricle.
- VSD can overwork the heart.
- VSD can cause excess pressure in the blood vessels to the lungs
(pulmonary hypertension).
- VSD, if small, usually needs no treatment.
- VSD, if large, needs medical management and then surgery to repair
the VSD.
- VSD generally has an excellent long-term outlook.
Last Editorial Review: 5/2/2008
- Chest X-ray - A chest x-ray is a radiology test that involves exposing the chest briefly to radiation to produce an image of the chest and the internal organs of the chest. chest x-ray can be used to define abnormalities of the lungs such as excessive fluid, pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, cysts, and cancers.
- Birth Defects - Read about birth defects, the leading cause of infant mortality during the first year. Causes of birth defects include ingestion of drugs or alcohol during pregnancy, genetic, hereditary, or environmental factors.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) - Read about the Electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG) procedure used to reflect underlying heart conditions such as agnina, occurance of a prior heart attack or of an evolving heart attack, and more.
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