Atrial septal defects: clinical presentations, echocardiographic evaluation and treatment

• Khokhlunov M.S.
• Timur V. Kislukhin
• Sergey E. Shorokhov

Abstract

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a frequent congenital heart disease, which occurs in the form of secondary or birth defect and defect of venous or coronary sinus. Pathophysiology: ASD often occur only in adulthood with arrhythmias, paradoxical embolism, cerebral abscesses, pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular heart failure. Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography with color Doppler plays a leading role in diagnosis of ASD. This non-invasive study allows to determine a diagnosis and obtain the necessary information for determine therapeutic approach. Full echocardiogram includes anatomical characteristics of the defect, shunt direction, associated heart defects (anomalous pulmonary veins drainage), anatomical and functional characteristics of the right ventricle, pulmonary pressure and the ratio of the volume of pulmonary flow and systemic flow. The main indications for occlusion of the atrial septal defect are right ventricle volume overload and paradoxical embolism, increase in the ratio of the volume of pulmonary flow and systemic flow.

Keywords:congenital heart disease, atrial septal defect, echocardiography

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