Does interventricular septal defect occasionally cause chest pain?

Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
Updated on October 23, 2024
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Ventricular septal defect is a type of congenital heart disease, occurring when the ventricles of the heart develop poorly during the embryonic stage, leading to a defect in the ventricular septum. This often results in a left-to-right shunt which affects the efficiency of the heart's function. In severe cases, it can cause a right-to-left shunt. Generally, these conditions do not affect the coronary circulation or cause chest pain in patients. However, some patients may develop endocarditis at the ventricular septum, which sometimes leads to the formation of vegetations on the cardiac valves or blood clots on the abdominal wall. If thrombosis or vegetations occur, there is a possibility of these breaking off. If they enter the coronary arteries, they can cause chest pain. However, such events are extremely rare, with an occurrence rate of less than one in a thousand.

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Written by Zhang Zhi Gong
Cardiothoracic Surgery
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Does a ventricular septal defect affect development?

Does a ventricular septal defect affect development? For relatively small ventricular septal defects, such as those under five millimeters, the shunt from the left ventricle to the right ventricle is minimal, hence patients may not exhibit noticeable symptoms. However, if the defect is larger, for instance, over five millimeters, a large volume of blood will flow from the left ventricle into the right ventricular system. This causes congestion in the right ventricular system and the pulmonary circulation will be flooded with blood. As the saying goes, "flowing water does not rot, nor do door hinges become worm-eaten"; however, when a large amount of blood accumulates in the pulmonary vessels, patients are prone to recurrent respiratory infections and even congestive right heart failure, which then leads to feeding difficulties. Patients feel consistently uncomfortable and have difficulty breathing, so they may be reluctant to eat, especially in young children who need considerable effort to drink milk, which requires some breath-holding. At this time, patients experience feeding difficulties, which equates to developmental delays. Therefore, larger ventricular septal defects can affect a child's development. Small defects, such as those under three millimeters, might not affect development, but larger defects do impact development and thus require timely treatment.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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Can people with ventricular septal defect swim?

If the patient has a ventricular septal defect, swimming can lead to ischemia and hypoxia, and thus, it is not advisable for the patient to swim. If symptoms such as palpitations or breathing difficulties occur, this can be very dangerous, and I would personally advise against going into the water. It is also crucial to actively treat this congenital heart disease. I suggest that the patient should undergo a cardiac echocardiography at a hospital for a clearer diagnosis. Currently, the treatment mainly focuses on symptomatic treatment, and it is recommended that the patient considers surgical options to alleviate the suffering and improve the condition. During this period, attention should also be paid to a healthy diet, especially avoiding spicy and stimulating foods.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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Causes of hoarseness due to ventricular septal defect.

If a patient exhibits some ventricular septal defects, it is possible for hoarseness to occur, as this condition is a type of congenital heart disease. If a patient frequently experiences hoarseness, it might be caused by congenital heart disease, but chronic pharyngitis or laryngitis, which can also cause hoarseness, should not be ruled out. Additionally, conditions like vocal cord polyps or deeper diseases can lead to hoarseness. However, it is important to differentiate these from normal diseases. If the issue is solely a ventricular septal defect, surgical treatment can be recommended for the patient, which can achieve a complete cure. Attention should also be paid to maintaining a healthy diet.

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Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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Can an 8mm ventricular septal defect heal by itself?

The ventricular septal defect is 8 millimeters, which is considered a medium-sized defect. This type of defect is relatively large and will not heal on its own. Moreover, this ventricular septal defect requires timely surgical treatment, and close observation is needed in daily life. If the child is prone to catching colds, leading to repeated pneumonia, then prompt surgical treatment is necessary without delay. If the child's growth and development are not affected and there are no repeated incidents of pneumonia, close monitoring can be considered. Surgery to repair the ventricular septal defect can be considered after the child reaches two years of age. Otherwise, if delayed, it may lead to heart failure and complications such as pulmonary hypertension, severely affecting the quality of life and endangering the patient's safety.

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Written by Di Zhi Yong
Cardiology
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Does a ventricular septal defect easily cause hiccups in infants?

The relationship between the two is not very significant. A ventricular septal defect is a type of congenital disease, and currently, surgical treatment is recommended for patients, as medical treatment is not very effective and prone to relapse. For this type of congenital heart disease, it is best to first perform a cardiac echocardiography to make a clear diagnosis. In terms of treatment, early surgical intervention is suggested for patients to thoroughly improve symptoms such as palpitations, chest tightness, and difficulty in breathing. If an infant often experiences hiccupping, it could be a sign that the infant's stomach is not very mature, leading to excessive stomach acid, but this is not significantly related to the ventricular septal defect.