Does anyone else out there have Atrial Septum Defect, (hole in heart) discovered as an adult?

Question

What are some of the recommended treatments when this congenital heart disease is discovered in someones 50's, for instance? Repair of the hole, only medicines, or what? Mine is very small hole, and they just said take low dose aspirin. But this condition puts me at risk of scary things such as stroke and congestive heart failure. What are other people doing about this, when discovered in adulthood?

They also found some rare condition about a "left superior vena cava," I think. They didn't tell me, I just read that on the radiologists report I requested. Am I correct that it is harmless unless I have to have open heart surgery or something???

Answer 1

Let me assure you that many folks live a long and healthy life with ASDs, as long as they are small and don't produce significant shunting. In fact, an ASD is the most common congenital heart defect detected in an adult. You were asked to take low dose aspirin to prevent strokes. As long as there is no significant shunting going on (and a cardiologist can tell you this), you won't get congestive heart failure.

Treatments, if there is significant shunting, include surgery or an occlusion device placed via cardiac catheterization. However, this is not something that has to be fixed, if there is no significant shunt. The degree of shunting is easily calculated by echocardiography and is called the pulmonic to systemic flow ratio; as this ratio gets above 1.5 to 1, most authorities consider repair.

You might ask whether you need to take antibiotics before dental procedures, as endocarditis prophylaxis is recommended for ASDs.

The left superior vena cava is nothing to get concerned over. We all start out having one in utero, and yours just persisted---hence persistent left superior vena cava. You may just want to remember it for your health history in case you ever need a pacemaker or central venous catheter placed for surgery. It would complicate those procedures and the physician will want to use your right side instead of the left.

Talk it all over with your own cardiologist.

Answer 2

Atrial septal defect can be solved only by surgery and not by medicine. Individuals with ASD are at an increased risk for developing a number of complications including:
Infective endocarditis
Heart failure
Atrial fibrillation
Stroke
Please see the webpages for mre details on Atrial septal defect.

Answer 3

ASD is many times detected late.It becomes symptomatic when left atrium fails .It is easily controlled by drugs.Surgery is not advised unless drug treatment fails.Limiting the physical exertion is needed.If you must exercise surgery is needed.Treatment does not depend upon the sixe of hole.It depends upon the function of heart chambers.