May 25, 2012
Topics A-Z Cancer Congenital heart diseases : ASD v/s PFO
Congenital heart diseases : ASD v/s PFO |
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Dear Ask The Doctor: I have recently been having tests done on my heart. I have had an echocardiogram and a bubble test done. I am going to be having another test done soon, not sure what its called. They are sticking a tube down my throat with a camera on it. My doctors are telling me that its either an ASD or a PFO, but since they are Army doctors, its almost impossible to get straight answeres. They won't tell me one way or the either. I was wondering if maybe I could get some better information on here. I would just like to have another opinion on which one of the two defects it could be. My symptoms are shortness of breath. I get short on breath with the simpliest of tasks such as walking up steps. My fatigue level has increased in the past 6 or so months since I started having symptons. I have chest pain requarly. Dear Blane: Atrial septal defect (ASD) is a condition in which there is a defect the in the septum dividing the right and left atria which thus leads to mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood thus leading to the symptoms of shortness of breadth , congestive heary failure and pulmonary hypertension in adult life. It is usually aysmptomatic in childhood. Patent foramen ovale on the other hand is failure of closure of the formanen ovale which is normally present in the child before birth in the womb between the upper left and right chamber of the heart.Normally this opening is supposed to close at birth.However this rarely causes symptoms. More tests are needed to diagnose either of the conditions and it is difficult to give a definative diagnosis wih only a history. However since you have symptoms it seems that you may most likely have ASD. The treatment is usually surgert for either of these conditions if the symptoms are persistent and distrupt normal quality of life. |
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| Last Updated ( Saturday, 12 March 2011 ) |
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