Ventricular Septal Defects

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Important

It is possible that the main title of the report Ventricular Septal Defects is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.

Synonyms

• Congenital Ventricular Defects
• VSD
• Hole in the Heart

Disorder Subdivisions

• Roger Disease
• Maladie de Roger
• Cor Triloculare Biatriatum
• Common Ventricle
• Eisenmenger Syndrome

General Discussion

Ventricular septal defects are heart defects that are present at birth (congenital). The normal heart has four chambers. The two upper chambers, known as atria, are separated from each other by a fibrous partition known as the atrial septum. The two lower chambers are known as ventricles and are separated from each other by the ventricular septum. Valves connect the atria (left and right) to their respective ventricles. The aorta, the main vessel of arterial circulation, carries blood from the left ventricle and away from the heart.



Ventricular septal defects can occur in any portion of the ventricular septum. The size and location of the defect determine the severity of the symptoms. Small ventricular septal defects can close on their own (spontaneously) or become less significant as the child matures and grows. Moderately-sized defects can cause congestive heart failure, which is characterized by an abnormally rapid rate of breathing (tachypnea), wheezing, unusually fast heartbeat (tachycardia), enlarged liver (hepatomegaly), and/or failure to thrive. Large ventricular septal defects can cause life-threatening complications during infancy. Persistent elevation of the pressure within the artery that carries blood away from the heart and to the lungs (pulmonary artery) can cause permanent damage to the lungs. The exact cause of ventricular septal defects is not fully understood.

Resources

American Heart Association

National Center

7272 Greenville Avenue

Dallas, TX 75231-4596

Tel: (214)373-6300

Fax: (214)373-0268

Tel: (800)242-8721

Email: inquire@heart.org

Internet: http://www.americanheart.org



Congenital Heart Anomalies, Support, Education, & Resources

2112 North Wilkins Road

Swanton, OH 43558

Tel: (419)825-5575

Fax: (419)825-2880

Email: chaser@compuserve.com

Internet: http://www.csun.edu/~hcmth011/chaser/chaser-news.html



NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Information Center

P.O. Box 30105

Bethesda, MD 20824-0105

Tel: (301)592-8573

Fax: (301)251-1223

Email: nhlbiinfo@rover.nhlbi.nih.gov



Adult Congenital Heart Association

6757 Greene Street

Philadelphia, PA 19119

USA

Tel: 2158491260

Fax: 2158491261

Email: info@achaheart.org

Internet: http://www.achaheart.org/



Kids With Heart National Association for Children's Heart Disorders, Inc.

1578 Careful Dr

Green Bay, WI 54304-2941

Tel: (920)498-0058

Fax: (920)498-0058

Tel: (800)538-5390

Email: kidswithheart@greenbaynet.com

Internet: http://www.kidswithheart.org



Little Hearts, Inc.

P.O. Box 171

Cromwell, CT 06416

USA

Tel: 8606350006

Fax: 8606350006

Tel: 8664354673

Email: info@littlehearts.org

Internet: http://www.littlehearts.org



Congenital Heart Information Network

1561 Clark Dr

Yardley, PA 19067

Tel: (215)493-3068

Fax: (215)493-3068

Email: mb@tchin.org

Internet: http://www.tchin.org

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report.

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated:  1/30/2008

Copyright  1986, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2005 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.

Last updated:	January 30, 2008