Cardiology Flashcards
1
Q
Atrial septal defect
A
ASDs may be suspected in patients with unexplained right heart enlargement or atrial arrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation is a common finding in adults with an ASD. The atrial fibrillation risk decreases but does not normalize after ASD closure. ASD size and associated defects influence the age of presentation; symptoms include fatigue, exertional dyspnea, arrhythmias, and paradoxical embolism. Rarely, patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) are found to have isolated ASDs.
Clinical findings in patients with an ASD include a parasternal impulse, fixed splitting of the S2, and a pulmonary outflow murmur. A diastolic flow rumble across the tricuspid valve can occur with a large left-to-right shunt.
