|  | Conditions Treatments | Heart Disease

Problems Associated With a Hole Between the Heart Chambers

There are different kinds of heart defects, most of which are congenital (i.e., present at birth). These conditions are relatively common, with the American Heart Association estimating that congenital defects may be present in as many as 1.3 million people. A defect that occurs frequently is a hole in the septum of the heart, the tissue that separates each heart chamber. These defects can have serious potential side effects.

  1. Arrhythmias

    • In an arrhythmia, the heart does not beat in a constant rhythm. Instead, it may beat slower or faster or even can skip beats. When there is a septum defect, the extra blood that gets pumped between the heart chambers can stretch sections of the heart. This stretching disturbs the rhythmic precision of the heart.

    Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

    • The Internet Encyclopedia of Science explains that septum defects sometimes cause pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), or high blood pressure of the arteries of the lungs. According to the Mayo Clinic, the right lower chamber of the heart pumps blood to the pulmonary arteries. The blood then travels to the lungs, where carbon dioxide is exchanged for oxygen. The oxygenated blood then travels back to the left side of the heart, where the heart pumps it through the body. When there is a septum defect, the heart has to work extra hard because extra blood is pumped to the wrong chamber of the heart and the oxygenated and oxygen-poor blood mix together. Over time, this causes the cells of the pulmonary arteries to change, and more arterial tissue forms, narrowing the arterial opening and raising pulmonary blood pressure. This strains the heart and can cause heart failure over time. It's serious.

    Stroke

    • Normally a blood clot in the right side of the heart doesn't travel throughout the body because it isn't in a position to be pumped throughout the body. In a heart with a septum defect, however, clots can cross the natural chamber barriers and can go anywhere in the arterial system, including the brain, where they can block blood flow.

    Growth Failure

    • The Internet Encyclopedia of Science points out that septum defects raise the amount of energy needed by the body because the heart has to work harder than normal. If a person isn't able to compensate for this extra energy requirement, they will not have the energy resources to grow and develop normally.

    Heart Failure

    • Septum defects themselves increase the amount of work the heart has to do, which taxes the heart. Additionally, conditions related to septum defects (e.g., PAH) can worsen the problem by changing arterial conditions. Over time, these strains can cause the heart to fail.

Heart Disease - Related Articles