What to do with VSD

[yukunjin]

I have subconal ventricular septal defect and the hole is very small. I am happy that I don't need to have surgery according to specialists' opinion. But I still have some doubts about what I should do in my daily life.
1. My blood pressure is high. It is 120-130/80-90mmHg with medicine every day. Is it correct to take medicine?
2. To prevent infection(although the chance is small), should I do something, e.g. anti-flu vaccine every year?
3. What kind medical examination in connection with my disease should I take periodically?
4. People say that I have the risk of having blood coagulation. If so, are there any medicine which can help?
5. Any suggestions with my diet?
6. Any other things I should pay attention to?

Thanks.

[kenkeith]

Hi yukunjin,

Thank you for your response.  I am providing a link to the very best USA medical care for heart issues (undisputed) and that is the Cleveland Clinic.  The link will provide information to on-line services,  professional explanation of your medical condition, best treatment options and there is Email for questions for convenience, etc.

If you have any further questions or comments, you are welcome to respond.  Thank you, and I wish you well and hopefully you will get the service and information that will help you.  Take care,

Regards,
Ken




http://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff_directory/default.aspx

[yukunjin]

Dear Ken,

Thank you very much. Because I don't understand the technical terms in the echo report, I maybe have offered wrong information about my situation. Possiblly my hole is 13mm according to the report. Nobody her can tell me what the consequence will be, and the Chinese  doctors say I must have surgical treatment. You know most of the doctors her will have economic benefit from what they do. If you don't know them, nobody will tell the truth.

I have translated the echo report into English. Do you think you can help me find a specialist to review it? I have a big family to feed. If my health gets worse after surgery then what it is now, who will help my 3 children? Physically I am quite strong, do a lot of farm work every day. But I feel dyspnea occasionally, also a bit edema in my legs.

Looking forward to hearing from you again.

[kenkeith]

You have a congenital defect where there is a hole between your left ventricle to your right ventricle. Normally the left ventrical has the highest pressure and when the heart chambers contract the higher pressure in LV shunts some of the blood to the RV. The oxygenated blood is recycled to the lungs and there is not medical significance for concern.  

If by some abnormal cause the right side of the heart can have higher intra chamber pressure and that can cause shunting of blood from the right side to the ledftside and into circulation.  This shunted blood compromises the oxygenated blood with deoxygenated and that in a long run can cause hypoxia (lack of oxygenated heart cells) and impair heart wall movement. Additionally,If there is shunted blood from right to left a small clot can get through the hole and pumped into circulation and cause a stroke, etc.

There shouldn't be any problem going foward, but to keep the normal heart pressures under control would be the concern.  Exercise, proper diet, moderate lifestyle, etc. would be helpful to prevent any progression.  Medication for high blood pressure, if necessary, could involve medicaton, and medication to control cholesterol would  be beneifical as well.

Aspririn is recommended for anti-platelet medication, and there shouldn't be any activity limitation for a small hole and it usually does not advance.

Thanks for sharing and if you have any further questions or comments you are welcome to respond.  Take care and I wish you well going forward.  

Ken