5 Signs of Atrial Septal Defect

An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a congenital heart defect that occurs at birth. Not everyone has serious symptoms, but if you or your child has strange symptoms, especially with exercise, it warrants an evaluation.

At the Vein, Heart, and Vascular Institute, board-certified cardiologist Hesham Fakhri, MD, and our team are specialists in cardiovascular care. Dr. Fakhri carefully evaluates your symptoms to determine the cause, from high blood pressure to valvular heart problems.

What is an atrial septal defect?

An ASD is a congenital heart defect that occurs when there’s an opening in the septum that separates the right and left atria. The defect causes an abnormal blood flow to the lungs, which makes the heart work harder than it should.

There are several forms of ASD that include:

Coronary sinus ASD
Sinus venosus ASD
Primum ASD
Secundum ASD

Smaller ASDs may not cause any issues and can actually close on their own over time. But larger defects cause symptoms that interfere with daily life and increase the risk of complications as you age.

Five prevalent signs of an ASD

Signs of an ASD may pop up in childhood or adulthood, depending on the size of the defect and its location. Childhood symptoms usually include slow growth or low weight and frequent respiratory infections.

But if there’s no childhood diagnosis, you may notice other signs as you get older. Five of the prevalent signs we see with an ASD are:

Shortness of breath with activity

The irregular blood flow between the two atria from the septal defect often causes shortness of breath with physical exertion. You may notice you can’t keep up with others during sports or other strenuous activities.

Heart murmur

A heart murmur is one of the key signs of an ASD that we usually find during a normal evaluation. Other testing confirms an ASD after we hear a heart murmur.

Fatigue with physical exertion

The abnormal blood flow with an ASD also leads to excessive fatigue with physical exertion. You may be more tired than usual after a quick run or pickup game of basketball.

Abnormal swelling

Because the heart sometimes beats irregularly with an ASD, fluid can build up in various parts of the body, leading to swelling. Some places you may notice swelling include your abdomen, legs, and feet.

Cardiac arrhythmias

People with ASDs sometimes have arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeats. It may feel like your heart is fluttering or like it has skipped a few beats.

Diagnosing an ASD typically comes with an evaluation and other diagnostic tests to confirm the hole in the septum.

Next steps after diagnosis

After an ASD diagnosis, treatment depends on factors such as the size of the defect and the presence of symptoms. Small ASDs don’t usually require surgical treatment, but we keep an eye on them with regular echocardiograms and follow-up appointments to monitor symptoms.

If you experience minor to moderate shortness of breath or fatigue with exertion, we prescribe medications to control these symptoms. But the medications don’t fix the defect itself.

For moderate to large ASDs, we can do a percutaneous closure of the defect through a minimally invasive catheter insertion. We essentially plug the hole in the septum through a small incision and a tiny catheter.

Recovery from a percutaneous closure is much quicker than the alternative, open-heart surgery. You may require open-heart surgery if you have a large ASD or if it’s in a complicated location.

Surgery is necessary for many people with moderate to severe symptoms to protect the heart and prevent further complications.

Contact us today or reach out online to arrange a consultation at our Tampa, Wesley Chapel, or Sun City Center, Florida, locations. We’re here to help you understand ASD and the treatments available to you.