Atrial Septal Defect

What is Atrial Septal Defect?

It is a heart defect defined by the presence of a hole in the heart wall that separates the two chambers of the upper part of the heart. It is a congenital defect, meaning it is present at birth. It affects blood flow between the left and right sections of the heart.

Symptoms may affect multiple parts of the body. Understanding which part of the body a symptom affects, can help us to better understand the potential underlying causes of a symptom, including a rare disease or genetic syndrome.

The heart is a part of the cardiovascular system of the body, also known as the circulatory system. It includes not only the heart but the veins, arteries, capillaries and blood which make the system work. The cardiovascular system distributes essential nutrients as well as oxygen, carbon dioxide, hormones and blood cells around the body in order to ensure its growth and survival.

Symptoms affecting the heart may be congenital, present at birth, or they may develop later in life. Often they will require surgery to correct them.

Symptoms relating to the heart may affect the structure of this crucial organ, and/or its function. They may also affect any of the other parts of the cardiovascular system, including the veins and arteries.

What should I do next?

In some instances, atrial septal defect may be one of the features of a rare disease or genetic syndrome. To find out if someone with Atrial Septal Defect, may be due to a genetic syndrome, it is important to have a consultation and evaluation with a clinical genetic specialist.  Specialists may also suggest specific genetic testing or other types of tests to help reach a diagnosis.  FDNA’s AI technology can help speed up the diagnostic process by analyzing facial features and other health information.

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Synonyms:
Defect in the atrial septum, Atrial septum defect, Hole in heart wall separating two upper heart chambers, An opening in the wall separating the top two chambers of the heart, Atria septal defect, ASD
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