Acyanotic heart defect explained

Synonym:	Non-cyanotic heart defect
Specialty:	cardiology

An acyanotic heart defect, is a class of congenital heart defects. In these, blood is shunted (flows) from the left side of the heart to the right side of the heart, most often due to a structural defect (hole) in the interventricular septum.^[1] People often retain normal levels of oxyhemoglobin saturation in systemic circulation.

This term is outdated, because a person with an acyanotic heart defect may show cyanosis (turn blue due to insufficient oxygen in the blood).

Signs and symptoms

Presentation is the following:

• Shortness of breath
• Congested cough
• Diaphoresis
• Fatigue
• Frequent respiratory infections
• Machine-like heart murmur
• Tachycardia
• Tachypnea
• Respiratory distress
• Mild cyanosis (in right sided heart failure)
• Poor growth and development (from increased energy spent on breathing)

Complications

This condition can cause congestive heart failure.

Diagnosis

Types

Left to right shunting heart defects include:

• Ventricular septal defect (VSD) (30% of all congenital heart defects)
• Atrial septal defect (ASD)
• Atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD)
• Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)

Others:

• levo-Transposition of the great arteries (l-TGA),

Acyanotic heart defects without shunting include:

• Pulmonary stenosis (a narrowing of the pulmonary valve)
• Aortic stenosis
• Coarctation of the aorta

Management

Treatment of this condition can be done via:

• Medications: Digoxin/Lanoxin
• Diuretics: Furosemide/Lasix
• Surgery

See also

• Cyanotic heart defect

References

• NCLEX-PN Review 2nd Ed. (2006). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. .

Notes and References

1. Book: Pillitteri, Adele. Maternal and Child Health Nursing: Care of the Childbearing and Childrearing Family. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 2013-11-25. 9781469833224. en. 1201.