Atrial Septal Defects (ASD)
The presence of a defect (opening) in the that separates the two of the . It can be or acquired.
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About Atrial Septal Defects (ASD)
An atrial septal defect (ASD) is a hole in the part of the that separates the . (The atria are the upper of the .)
An ASD allows -rich to flow from the left atrium into the right atrium, instead of flowing into the left ventricle as it should. So, instead of going to the body, the oxygen-rich blood is pumped back to the , where it has just been.
An ASD can be small, medium, or large. Small ASDs allow only a little to flow from one atrium to the other. Small ASDs don’t affect how the works and don’t need any special . Many small ASDs close on their own as the heart grows during childhood.
Medium and large ASDs allow more to leak from one atrium to the other. They’re less likely to close on their own…