Neonatal Circulation / Heart Defects

Question 1

What are the three structures that make the fetal circulation different?

Answer 1

• ductus venosus
• foramen ovale
• ductus arteriosus

Question 2

What does the fetal circulation bypass?

Answer 2

Bypass the liver and lungs

Question 3

What triggers the change from fetal to neonatal circulation?

Answer 3

Birth and separation from the placenta.
Increased oxygen tension and reduced prostaglandins

Question 4

Describe the ductus venosus?

Answer 4

Connects the umbilical vein to the inferior vena cava

Question 5

What does the ductus venosus become once its closed?

Answer 5

ligament venosum

Question 6

Describe the Forman ovale?

Answer 6

Opening between the left and right atrium

Question 7

Describe the ductus arteriosus?

Answer 7

Connects the pulmonary trunk/artery to the aorta

Question 8

Describe acyanotic heart disease?

Answer 8

When there is enough oxygenated blood but its pumped abnormally around the body

Question 9

What are acyanotic heart disease caused by?

Answer 9

increased pulmonary blood flow or obstruction to blood flow from the ventricle

Question 10

Describe cyanotic heart disease?

Answer 10

Reduced oxygenated blood delivered to the body

Question 11

What is cyanotic heart disease caused by?

Answer 11

Decreased pulmonary blood flow or mixed blood flow

Question 12

List acyanotic heart disease caused by increased pulmonary blood flow?

Answer 12

Atrial septal defect
Ventricular septal defect
Patent ductus arteriosus

Question 13

What is the most common heart defect in newborns?

Answer 13

Ventricular septal defect

Question 14

List acyanotic heart diseases caused by obstruction to blood flow?

Answer 14

Coarctation of the aorta
Aortic stenosis
Hypoplastic left heart

Question 15

What is an atrial septal defect?

Answer 15

Hole between the atriums

Question 16

What is a ventricle septal defect?

Answer 16

Hole between the ventricles

Question 17

What is a patent ductus arteriosus?

Answer 17

Failure of the ductus arteriosus to close after birth

Question 18

What is coarctation of the aorta?

Answer 18

Narrowing of the aorta

Question 19

What is aortic stenosis?

Answer 19

Narrowing of the aortic valve

Question 20

What is hypoplastic left heart?

Answer 20

left side of the heart is underdeveloped and the ductus arteriosus remains open

Question 21

List cyanotic heart diseases caused by decreased pulmonary blood flow?

Answer 21

Tetralogy of fallot
Pulmonary stenosis

Question 22

List cyanotic heart diseases caused by mixed blood flow?

Answer 22

Transposition of the great arteries
truncus arteriosus

Question 23

What is tetralogy of fallot?

Answer 23

Combination of four heart defects

Question 24

What is pulmonary stenosis?

Answer 24

When the pulmonary valve closes

Question 25

What is transposition of the great arteries?

Answer 25

When the pulmonary artery emerges from the left ventricle and the aorta emerges from the right ventricle (switched)

Question 26

What is truncus arteriosus?

Answer 26

Base of the aorta and pulmonary artery connect

Question 27

Major signs of a heart defect?

Answer 27

• Failure to thrive
• Poor weight gain
• Sweating
• Tachypnoea
• Cyanosis
• Heart murmur
• Absent, weak, unsymmetrical femoral pulses

Question 28

Palpating femoral pulses is most important in identifying what heart defect?

Answer 28

Coarctation of the aorta