Ventricular Septal Defect and Tetralogy of Fallot



Ventricular Septal Defect and Tetralogy of Fallot

Introduction

This paper intends to expound the two different heart related diseases that are Ventricular Septal Defect and Tetralogy of Fallot. The study would also compare and contrast the different processes of both of the diseases pertinent to pathophysiology, clinical manifestation, and medical management. The Venticular Septal Defect (VSD) is primarily the anomaly in the ventricular septrum that is actually the wall which separates the right and left ventricles of the heart. In simple word, it is the hole in the wall that divides the two lower chambers of the heart. This is common disease which is present at birth whereas it basically develops at the time of fetus is born. It even causes to develop other or related heart defects. However, the other heart disease is the tetralogy of fallot which is a complex congenital heart anomaly and also present at the time of birth however, it includes the cluster of four heart defects that are large ventricular septal defect, pulmonary stenosis, right ventricular hypertrophy, and overriding aorta. It is the rare heart disease which occurs five in every ten thousand births. It also occurs during the heart development before the birth (Cleveland Clinic, 2010). In short, this paper is the great source of information pertaining to both of the heart diseases.

Ventricular Septal Defect

The VSD is also termed as the hold in the heart which is the most common type of heart disease present at the time of birth. The opening hole is formed between the lower chambers of the heart which mixes the oxygen rich blood and oxygen poor blood together. The VSD are not sometimes identified until adulthood however, it is treatable defect and even small ventricular septal defect close on their own without the treatment but the larger holes are required to be closed to prevent the further complications related with VSD such as damage to heart valves (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2011). A ventricular septal defect causes a shunt between the ventricles which leads to many issues such as dyspnea and the poor growth during infancy, it also causes murmur, recurrent respiratory infections, and the chances to develop heart failure. VSD usually occurs alone while in some rare cases it occurs along with the other heart diseases such as tetralogy of fallot, atrioventricular defects, and transposition of arteries.

The VSDs are categorized by its location such as Perimembranous that shows the defect in the membranous septum which is next to the tricuspid valve, trabecular muscular which occurs over the muscular tissues hence it can develop anywhere in the septum, subpulmonary outlet defect which usually occurs in the ventricular septum right under the pulmonary valve, and the inlet defect which are overbearingly bordered by tricuspid annulus (Beerman, 2012). However, the most common of all is the perimembranous defect.

The most common symptoms of small to moderate VSD include the loud murmur however, in some cases it is asymptomatic whereas, the children with the moderate to ...