Why does a ventricular septal defect cause respiratory infections?

Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
Updated on September 05, 2024
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Because ventricular septal defect is a type of congenital heart disease, it mainly leads to pulmonary infections in children, often causing respiratory infections. If this condition is not treated in time, it can worsen the symptoms, decrease the child's resistance, and lead to frequent respiratory diseases. Early surgical treatment is recommended to improve the child's symptoms.

It is also important to monitor the child's breathing, heart rate, and pulse changes, and it is advisable to regularly revisit the hospital for an echocardiogram. Early surgical treatment is recommended as it can completely cure the disease.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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What would happen if the ventricular septal defect occluder dislodges?

An occluder generally works like two umbrella surfaces clamped over the orifice of the interventricular septal defect, achieving the method whereby tissue blood flow enters from the left side of the septum to the right side. Once an occluder dislodges, it can lead to a dangerous situation, as the occluder has a membrane that can easily get caught on the tendons of the mitral valve, causing severe mitral regurgitation; it can also get stuck at the mitral valve orifice, obstructing the outflow of blood; it may also lead to aortic valve insufficiency; if it gets caught in the major arteries, it can cause arterial embolism, leading to sudden death in the patient. Therefore, the dislodgement of an occluder is a very dangerous phenomenon.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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What should be noted for an atrial septal defect with patent foramen ovale?

If the patient presents with a ventricular septal defect or a patent foramen ovale, it is important to maintain a healthy diet and particularly to prevent upper respiratory infections, as these conditions are types of congenital heart disease. They mainly lead to repeated respiratory infections, cyanosis, or lung infections, resulting in changes associated with congenital heart disease. For a ventricular septal defect, early surgical intervention is currently recommended. Patent foramen ovale is also treated surgically. During this period, it is important to monitor changes in the child's height and weight, as such diseases can affect the child's growth and development.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
38sec home-news-image

Why does a ventricular septal defect cause respiratory infections?

Because ventricular septal defect is a type of congenital heart disease, it mainly leads to pulmonary infections in children, often causing respiratory infections. If this condition is not treated in time, it can worsen the symptoms, decrease the child's resistance, and lead to frequent respiratory diseases. Early surgical treatment is recommended to improve the child's symptoms. It is also important to monitor the child's breathing, heart rate, and pulse changes, and it is advisable to regularly revisit the hospital for an echocardiogram. Early surgical treatment is recommended as it can completely cure the disease.

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home-news-image
Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
33sec home-news-image

Does a ventricular septal defect easily cause choking on milk?

Ventricular septal defect can lead to choking on milk, as it can cause pathological murmurs in children, especially prominent in the chest area, which is a type of congenital heart disease. Currently, early surgical treatment is recommended for these children. The choking on milk might be due to reasons related to the digestive system, but it is still somewhat related to the ventricular septal defect. It is also advised to eat smaller, more frequent meals to avoid choking or aspiration, which can lead to bronchitis or recurrent respiratory infections.

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Written by Zhang Zhi Gong
Cardiothoracic Surgery
1min 19sec home-news-image

Symptoms of ventricular septal defect

The main symptoms of a ventricular septal defect depend on the size of the defect and the age of the patient. Generally, smaller ventricular septal defects, such as those measuring only one to two millimeters, result in very little shunting from the left ventricular system to the right ventricular system. This is akin to a tiny amount of air seeping through a crack in a window or door. In such cases, the patient typically does not exhibit noticeable symptoms. However, if the defect is larger, over five millimeters, a significant amount of blood passes from the left ventricular system into the right ventricular system, which can cause substantial congestion in the right or both lungs of the right ventricular system, or lead to recurrent respiratory infections and congestive heart failure. The affected individual may show disinterest in eating, feeding difficulties, and delayed development. As the patient grows older, they may exhibit reduced activity endurance, fatigue or palpitations, and shortness of breath. Gradually, cyanosis and right heart failure may develop. Additionally, patients are at risk of developing infective endocarditis, fever without symptoms, and recurring fever.