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Medical Health Encyclopedia
Atrial septal defect
From Healthscout's partner site on heart disease, MyHeartCentral.com
Atrial septal defect is an abnormality of the upper chambers of the heart (atria) where the wall between the right and left atria does not close completely. This defect is present at birth (congenital). Alternative Names ASD Causes, incidence, and risk factors Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a congenital heart defect. In fetal circulation there is normally an opening between the two atria (the upper chambers of the heart) to allow blood to bypass the lungs. This opening usually closes about the time the baby is born. If the ASD is persistent, blood continues to flow from the left to the right atria. This is called a shunt. ![]() ASD is present in 4 out of 100,000 people. When the person has no other congenital defect, symptoms may be absent, particularly in children. Symptoms usually have manifested by age 30. Individuals with ASD are at an increased risk for developing a number of complications including:
Review Date: 05/30/2006 ![]() | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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