Congential Heart Defects Flashcards
What is a congenital heart defect?
An abnormality(s)/defect(s) that a child is born with related to the heart
Which circulation has the lower resistance, pulmonary or systemic?
Pulmonary circulation = lower resistance
What is the rough O2 saturation in all of the right side of the heart and the pulmonary trunk?
67%
Which chamber of the heart has the lowest overall pressure?
Right atrium
Which chambers of the heart have the lowest pressures? The atria or ventricles?
Atria = lowest (Right lowest then left)
Ventricles = higher (right ventricle lower than left ventricle, right ventricle has a higher pressure than the left atrium)
What is a shunt?
Passage connecting two channels/chambers leading to blood diversion or fluid diversion
What is meant by a left to right shunt?
When blood is redirected form the left side of the heart to the right side of the heart
What causes a left to right shunt to occur in the heart?
A hole
What effect does a left to right shunt have on blood flow around the body?
Increased blood flow to lungs
Some blood from left side re-enters back into pulmonary circulation
What negative effect can be caused by a left to right shunt in the heart?
Increased pulmonary artery and pulmonary venous pressure
What causes a right to left shunt?
A hole
+
Distal obstruction
Why does a left to right shunt not require an obstruction to happen?
Pressure of pump of left side of heart is greater than the right
Blood will naturally flow down pressure gradient from left side of the heart to right side of the heart through the hole
Why does a right to left shunt require a hole and distal obstruction?
Something is required to increase the pressure in the right side of the heart so that it exceeds the left side of the heart which is naturally at a higher pressure
What are the 2 classifications of congenital heart defects?
Acyanotic
Cyanotic
What does Acyanotic mean?
No blue discolouration present
What does cyanotic mean?
Blue discolouration present
What type of shunting causes Acyanotic congenital heart defects?
Left to right shunts
Why do left to right shunts cause Acyanotic congenital heart defects?
All blood that is in systemic circulation is oxygenated
What type of shunting causes cyanotic congenital heart defects?
Right to left shunts
Why do right to left shunts cause cyanotic congenital heart defects?
Deoxygenated blood enters systemic circulation
Where can shunts (holes) develop that result in left to right shunting (Acyanotic defects)?
(Just holes no obstructions)
Atrial septal defects
Ventricular septal defects
Atria-ventricular septal defects
Aorto-pulmonary defect (Patent ductus arteriosus)
What is a sinus venosus defect?
Atrial septal defect
Wall between SVC and right sided pulmonary veins not closed
Causes increased flow into pulmonary circulation from systemic circulation