Intracardiac Shunt: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

An intracardiac shunt is an abnormal opening allowing blood flow between normally separate heart chambers. Can be congenital or acquired (trauma, infection). Symptoms: breathlessness, fatigue, cyanosis, rapid heart rate, chest pain, murmurs.

Types

1. Atrial Septal Defect (ASD): Opening in atrial septum mixing oxygenated/deoxygenated blood. Range: asymptomatic to severe (shortness of breath, fatigue).
2. Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD): Opening in ventricular septum. Significant VSDs can cause heart failure.
3. Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA): Persistent fetal connection between aorta and pulmonary artery; increases heart workload.
4. Atrioventricular Septal Defect (AVSD): Combined ASD + VSD; complex, causes infancy breathing difficulties to lifelong issues.
5. Tetralogy of Fallot: Four defects: VSD, pulmonary stenosis, overriding aorta, right ventricular hypertrophy. Causes cyanosis, breathing difficulty; requires surgery.

Diagnosis & Treatment

Echocardiogram, chest X-ray, cardiac MRI. Treatment: medication/monitoring for small defects; surgical intervention for larger/severe ones. Approach depends on health, shunt location/size, symptoms.