Ventricular Septal Defects

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.

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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: 10/30/2005
Copyright 1986, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2005 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.