Can people with atrial septal defect run?

Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
Updated on February 11, 2025
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Atrial septal defect is a type of congenital heart disease. It is advised that patients avoid long-distance travel or running as these activities can increase the burden on the heart and also increase myocardial oxygen consumption. Surgical treatment is recommended for this condition. Patients with atrial septal defect may also experience symptoms such as palpitations and chest tightness, and a murmur can be heard in the precordial area. If the symptoms are severe, it is recommended that the patient primarily rests and avoids participating in sports activities, especially running. Running can require a lot of oxygen, or cause a rapid heart rate. A rapid heart rate can lead to increased myocardial oxygen consumption and may result in compensatory symptoms like palpitations, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. This situation is very dangerous and needs to be dealt with promptly; it is best to go to the hospital.

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Can someone with atrial septal defect travel by airplane?

Atrial septal defect is a relatively common congenital heart disease in daily life. Many patients with atrial septal defect often ask if they can fly on planes. This depends on the specific condition. If the atrial septal defect is combined with severe cardiac damage, such as heart failure, then flying is definitely not allowed. However, if the atrial septal defect is mild, not severe, without clinical symptoms or cardiac damage, then it is indeed possible to fly. It is recommended for those in this condition to visit a cardiology outpatient clinic at a hospital and ask a doctor to make an assessment.

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Can people with atrial septal defect go to the plateau?

A mild atrial septal defect, such as one smaller than 3mm, allows for a normal life without any impact. In fact, some people only discover this condition during medical exams in their seventies or eighties. Therefore, it is safe for these individuals to travel to high altitudes. However, a larger atrial septal defect often causes symptoms like tightness in the chest, palpitations, and difficulty breathing after hypoxia or intense exercise. These patients have poorer compensatory abilities and are advised against going to high altitudes to avoid high altitude sickness. If such patients need to go to high altitude, it is recommended that they consider surgery before doing so.

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Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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How severe is an atrial septal defect considered to be?

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a relatively common congenital heart disease in clinical practice. From a medical perspective, the severity of ASD depends on whether the patient is an adult or a child. For adults with ASD, generally speaking, defects larger than 20 millimeters are considered large atrial septal defects, which are more severe. If the defect size is between 10 and 20 millimeters, it is often classified as a moderate atrial septal defect. Defects smaller than 4 millimeters are considered small atrial septal defects. Generally, small and moderate atrial septal defects are not severe. For children, an atrial septal defect larger than 10 millimeters is considered a large atrial septal defect, which is more severe. Sizes between 5 and 10 millimeters are classified as moderate atrial septal defects. Defects smaller than 5 millimeters are considered small atrial septal defects, which generally are not severe.

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Does atrial septal defect increase in size as age progresses?

The defects in the atrial septum tend to enlarge as one ages, and with the enlargement of the atrial septal defect, the patient's condition will also gradually worsen. Of course, some small atrial septal defects may close gradually as one ages after birth. For atrial septal defects that cannot close, if they gradually enlarge, they will lead to symptoms like chest tightness and shortness of breath in patients and are likely to cause respiratory infections. As the condition progresses, it can lead to pulmonary hypertension and cause right heart failure. For atrial septal defects that cannot close, if there are indications for surgery, active surgical treatment should be provided to prevent the worsening of the condition.

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Can someone with an atrial septal defect go swimming?

Atrial septal defect is not uncommon in our daily lives. Many patients with atrial septal defects often ask their doctor if they can swim. This has to be analyzed based on specific circumstances. If the atrial septal defect is not severe, and it's just a minor atrial septal defect, generally it does not affect the patient's daily activities, such as swimming or running. However, if the atrial septal defect is severe, especially if it has led to heart failure and heart enlargement, in this situation, one should definitely not engage in strenuous activities such as swimming or running.