What it means
The most common heart defect present at birth. Blood flows through the hole from the left ventricle to the right, sending extra blood to the lungs and making the heart work harder. Small holes often close on their own; large ones can cause heart failure in infancy and are repaired with surgery or a catheter procedure. It often causes a loud, harsh murmur.
For the nurse
In infants, watch for fast breathing, sweating and tiring during feeds, and poor weight gain.
At a glance
| Spanish | comunicación interventricular |
|---|---|
| Also written | VSD, ventricular septal defects |
Related terms
atrial septal defect
A hole in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart.
ductus arteriosus
A blood vessel in the fetus that connects the pulmonary artery to the aorta, so blood can skip the lungs.
birth defect
A problem in how a part of the body is formed or works that is present when a baby is born.
heart murmur
A whooshing or swishing sound heard with a stethoscope, made by blood flowing unevenly through the heart.