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Grown-up Congenital Heart Disease (GUCH): Difference between revisions
Grown-up Congenital Heart Disease (GUCH) (view source)
Revision as of 00:00, 23 January 2012
, 23 January 2012→Evaluation and therapy
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==== Evaluation and therapy ==== | ==== Evaluation and therapy ==== | ||
[[File:23. Amplatzer.jpg| | [[File:23. Amplatzer.jpg|160|right|Figure 23. Chest radiograph, left lateral view, of a 34-year old female who recently underwent percutaneous closure of her ASD with an Amplatzer device.]] | ||
Most ASDs less than 8mm in diameter close spontaneously in infants, however above the age of 4 years spontaneous closure is unusual. During childhood and early adulthood most patients with moderate to large uncorrected ASDs are asymptomatic. Most of them will become symptomatic during adulthood (usually from the age of 40) and require closure of the defect. Indications for closure of an ASD in adulthood are development of symptoms and a high rate of shunt flow. Decreased exercise tolerance, fatigue, dyspnoe, syncope and paradoxal embolization are manifestions of such symptomatic ASDs that warrant closure of the defect. Atrial arrhythmias are usually one of the first presenting symptoms, however these symptoms alone are not an indication for closure, since the incidence after the procedure is not likely to be reduced. | Most ASDs less than 8mm in diameter close spontaneously in infants, however above the age of 4 years spontaneous closure is unusual. During childhood and early adulthood most patients with moderate to large uncorrected ASDs are asymptomatic. Most of them will become symptomatic during adulthood (usually from the age of 40) and require closure of the defect. Indications for closure of an ASD in adulthood are development of symptoms and a high rate of shunt flow. Decreased exercise tolerance, fatigue, dyspnoe, syncope and paradoxal embolization are manifestions of such symptomatic ASDs that warrant closure of the defect. Atrial arrhythmias are usually one of the first presenting symptoms, however these symptoms alone are not an indication for closure, since the incidence after the procedure is not likely to be reduced. | ||