Hole in Heart: Symptoms Causes and Treatments

A hole in heart is a malformation of the heart during birth. This condition is majorly found in newly born children and rarely in adults. In adults, this can develop either during a heart attack or after an intricate medical procedure. 

Congenital heart issues can be minor with no symptoms which become complicated eventually with age. However, the severe defects detected during infant phase or early childhood require surgery to recover.  One may experience hole in heart symptoms in adulthood as well with no clue of this condition in his childhood. Even if it is treated during childhood it requires further repair as the repaired congenital defect can still cause health issues at later stages of life. Hence, a thorough follow-up is a need of the hour.  Asymptomatic conditions may not require treatments but symptomatic and complex ones require surgery. This exemplifies the need of a comprehensive heart insurance plan if you don’t want your savings to be drained out during a medical emergency.

This informative article will take you through the various risk factors, symptoms, causes and treatments of this heart disease and how you can manage the treatment expenses with a health insurance plan. Continue reading!

Types of Hole in Heart Defects

The following types of hole in heart defects are common among the newborns:

Patent Foramen Ovale or PFO

During baby’s developmental stage in the mother's womb, a flap-like opening is present in between the upper chambers of the heart, called the foramen ovale or hole in heart baby. This flap usually closes once the baby is born. But in some cases when it does not close during infancy, the condition is called PFO. In most cases, treatment is not essential. 

Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)

This is a hole formed on the walls or septum of the lower two chambers of the heart or ventricles. It is naturally present in newborns and automatically closes as the heart develops. However, if it does not close, the oxygenated blood from the left ventricle flows through the hole to the right ventricle, mixes with deoxygenated blood and moves to the lungs. This extra blood causes a heart murmur sound in an infant and creates extra pressure on the heart and lungs. If the hole persists, it can give rise to pulmonary hypertension, irregular heartbeat and even stroke in adults. Depending on the location and structure of the holes, VSD can be of four types: Membraneuous, Muscular, Inlet and Outlet. 

Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)

Similarly a hole in the walls of the upper chambers of the heart called the Atrium causes Atrial Septal Defect(ASD) in infants. It usually closes after birth, but sometimes may require surgery. The oxygenated blood from the left atrium flows out and mixes with deoxygenated blood in the right atrium which is then sent to the lungs. This extra blood flow is more likely to cause symptoms and require surgery when the pathway formed is bigger. Defined by their location in the atrial walls, there are four types of ASDs: Secundum ASDs, Primum ASDs, Sinus Venosus ASDs and Coronary Sinus.

Atrioventricular Septal Defect (AVSD)

Also called endocardial cushion defect, this happens when there are holes between the upper and lower chambers and both sides of the heart.  In this condition the valves controlling the blood flow also do not develop fully. This extra blood pumped into the lungs may cause congestive heart failure. AVSD can be partial or complete. 

Causes of Hole in Heart Disease 

The causes of hole in heart at birth are not fully explored. However, it is well known that congenital heart defects are often caused by changes in chromosomal structure or genes that happen during the gestation period in the mother’s womb.

These genetic abnormalities are more common in people with a similar family history. Exposure to certain environments or drugs or chemicals during pregnancy also increases the chances of congenital defects. Medicines for high blood pressure, alcohol consumption, oral tobacco usage or smoking during pregnancy raise the risk of having a child with a hole in heart at birth.

Certain medical conditions like lupus, rubella, and pre-existing diabetes in the mother can also cause a child to be born with congenital heart disease.

Symptoms of Hole in Heart 

Although these septal defects are present since birth, the small ones do not cause symptoms until adulthood. The symptoms of hole in heart in adults vary from those of a child.

• The most common signs of ASD in children are heart murmurs along with frequent and repeated respiratory infections. The child remains underweight and growth is slow. Rarely children might have arrhythmias, with troubled breathing and easy fatigue. 
• The symptoms of hole in heart in adults may start showing by the age of 40. It includes shortness of breath after workouts, tachycardia (high pulse rate), blue skin colour (cyanosis) and swelling of hands and legs.
• In infants only moderate to large VSDs can cause symptoms. They may struggle to breathe, get fatigued during feeding, and suffer from repeated respiratory infections. In older children and adults the symptoms may be being out of breath while exercising, heart inflammation during infection and having Eisenmenger syndrome, where the skin turns pale with a bluish tinge.
• Most of the time PFO symptoms are not noticeable or significant but it may cause severe migraine, transient ischemic attack and even stroke.

Treatment for Hole in Heart 

The treatments for heart defects depend on the symptoms, severity of the conditions, age and health condition of the patient. 

1. Treatment for ASDs can be percutaneous or non-surgical and surgical. Non-surgical hole in heart treatment involves placing a device called a septal occluder which is placed with a tube to seal the hole. With time tissue develops over the device and it becomes a part of the heart. Primary ASDs will require surgery by expert doctors. Here, a tissue patch is removed from the pericardium and placed on the hole or sutures are used to close it. The surgery may be robotic-assisted or minimally invasive. It is a relief to know that some of these advanced \ treatment are duly covered by Care Heart Health Insurance.
2. Surgery and transcatheter procedures are used only if VSDs are moderate to large.  The surgeon can either patch up the hole with a grafted tissue or close it with a suture depending on the size and condition of the valve. The transcatheter method reaches the heart through a major artery and places the device to block the hole. The VSDs which are likely to close with time on their own can be treated with common medications also. Diuretics help to  remove excess fluid around the heart and medicines like digoxins help control irregular heartbeat and maintain the strength of the heart muscle. 
3. AVSDs are usually surgically treated, be it partial or complete. The holes are completely closed using patches. The mitral valve is either repaired or replaced during surgery depending on its condition. Medication can only be a short-term solution. The surgery should be done early to prevent irreversible damage to the lungs and heart. Even after hole in heart surgery, an AVSD infant is not cured. There may be complications of leaky valves and hence require constant health check-ups and doctor visits.

Hole in heart surgery recovery time depends on the procedure used to repair the defect. Recovery from non-surgical procedures may take just days or weeks, but for surgeries, it takes more time to recover. Post-surgery, blood thinners to prevent clots and antibiotics to prevent infection or endocarditis will be required to be taken regularly. Regular visits to a doctor are also a must with a healthy lifestyle to prevent more complications in future. 

In Conclusion 

Now that you know the causes, symptoms and how to cure hole in heart defects, let us tell you it is a perennial condition that requires extra precaution. The above details show that most hole in heart defects arise during infancy and if not taken care properly may become a major problem with age. Considering the increasing medical inflation, treating a heart related condition can be heavy on your pocket. Thankfully, we have a health insurance plan that covers pre-existing health conditions.

Care Heart from Care Health insurance is designed for people with pre-existing heart conditions and have undergone a heart surgery. The policy not only covers both the ASD and VSD surgical procedures (with a specific waiting period) but also follow-ups with the medical practitioner, which is required post-surgery. The new-age features like robotic surgery cover, no pre-policy medical check-ups, day care treatment etc. have made it a go-to product for persons with PED health conditions. However, in case of hole in heart, the coverage is only permissible if the condition is not congenital. You can allow our experts to connect with you for more information about the plan benefits and help you with the buying process. 

>> Also Read: Benefits of Care Heart Mediclaim

Disclaimers: The above information is for reference purposes only. For more details about the health insurance plans and their benefits please refer to the sales prospectus, policy terms, and conditions.