Atrial septal defect

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Atrial septal defect

Heart, front view

Heart, section through the middle

ASD

• Frequent respiratory infections in children
• Difficulty breathing (dyspnea)
• Shortness of breath with activity
• Sensation of feeling the heart beat (palpitations)

There may be a palpable pulsation of the pulmonary artery in the chest. Examination with a stethoscope (auscultation) of the heart usually reveals abnormal heart sounds. There may be a murmur caused by the increased blood flow across the pulmonic valve, and signs of heart failure. If the shunt is large, increased blood flow across the tricuspid valve (between the right atrium and ventricle) may be responsible for an additional murmur.

Tests that may be performed in the diagnosis of ASD include:

• Chest x-ray
• Echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart) 
• Doppler study of the heart
• Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE)
• Cardiac catheterization
• Coronary angiography (for patients over 35 years old)
• MRI of chest
• ECG   - may show atrial fibrillation , right atrial enlargement, or a pattern of delayed electrical conduction in the heart.

Review Date: 05/30/2006
Reviewed By: Alan Berger, MD, Assistant Professor, Divisions of Cardiology and Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.