What are the Symptoms If You Have A Hole In Your Heart?

A hole in heart which is a part of congenital heart problem is a defect present in a human heart usually since birth. Some defects are minor and healable and thus we do not bother much about them. But a malformation like hole in heart is a major defect and it causes many health issues since childhood. It is very harmful and may cause loss of life but once discovered, it can be surgically treated in time.

Adult congenital heart disease stays in two forms. First is where no symptom comes out in early age but later shows its presence while the second form is visibly clear and needs a treatment to repair the hole in heart in infancy and demands for a new treatment in later age of life. The main precaution necessary for a patient suffering from adult congenital heart disease is taking care of cardiac health.

What are the Symptoms If You Have A Hole In Your Heart?

What are the Symptoms If You Have A Hole In Your Heart?

When a person gasps a lot and breaths very shortly, especially during working out, it can be suspected that he/she may be suffering from adult congenital heart problem. Usually gasping is normal phenomenon but for a person having heart in hole, it is very problematic and happens much earlier than a fit person. This leads to fatigue, which is another symptom of this disease. As we know that the heart does all the pumping work, it is prone to have a lack of oxygen. And hence, cyanosis is noticeable on the patient. Cyanosis is the term used to refer the blue tint on fingernails, lips or skin.

It is often observed that all the patients with hole in heart have a most common symptom in which their heart murmurs. Adult congenital heart disease will lead to irregular heart rhythms, medically known as arrhythmias. Apart of these, swelling in various body parts is likely to be seen. Mainly the sufferer experiences extreme swelling in legs, ankles, abdomen and sometimes at the veins in the neck. Even though with so much of awareness, people blend this disease with some other heart or lung disease and aging. This may increase the risk for life as time never stops for anyone.

If the hole in heart is not treated on time then extra flow of blood can occur on the right half of the heart which will take down the functioning of lungs and heart. This will end up the life due to heart failure. So to avoid this tragic situation, various diagnosis options are available. And just like any other diagnosis process there are some test which will help in accurate results. Echocardiogram is one of the tests done before diagnosis and it ensures the anatomic structure of heart. Also, it determines the volume of blood driven by heart and pressure in it.

Diagnosis

Electrocardiogram is also the test used to diagnose a hole in heart. This test notifies that if there is any irregularities present in rhythm of heart. Furthermore, it is necessary to measure the size of heart and shape. So, chest X-rays are also embedded in the list of tests. There might be a chance of presence of restricted and blocked blood vessels and hence there is a need of coronary catheterization. This examines the blocked blood vessels. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays its role by giving the detailed imaging of blood vessels and chambers of the heart. And to record the basic health of heart, few stress testing exercises are implemented. This will give a report of how the heart can work when challenged and forced in harder times. These are the utmost tests required to be done before diagnosis of adult congenital heart disease.

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Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:October 20, 2018

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