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Congenital Heart Defects Pathophysiology

Non-modifiable and modifiable factors can contribute to congenital heart defects. Non-modifiable factors include genetics, age, gender, and presence of other defects. Modifiable factors include rubella infection, poorly controlled diabetes, drug or alcohol use, and exposure to chemicals or radiation during pregnancy. A patent ductus arteriosus occurs when the blood vessel connecting the aorta and pulmonary artery fails to close after birth. This allows oxygenated blood to shunt from the aorta back to the pulmonary artery, overloading the lungs with blood. If left untreated, it can lead to pulmonary hypertension and heart failure.

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49 views3 pages

Congenital Heart Defects Pathophysiology

Non-modifiable and modifiable factors can contribute to congenital heart defects. Non-modifiable factors include genetics, age, gender, and presence of other defects. Modifiable factors include rubella infection, poorly controlled diabetes, drug or alcohol use, and exposure to chemicals or radiation during pregnancy. A patent ductus arteriosus occurs when the blood vessel connecting the aorta and pulmonary artery fails to close after birth. This allows oxygenated blood to shunt from the aorta back to the pulmonary artery, overloading the lungs with blood. If left untreated, it can lead to pulmonary hypertension and heart failure.

Uploaded by

NursesLabs.com
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Non-modifiable Factors: Modifiable Factors:

 Genetics: run in families and  Rubella infection


sometimes occur with other genetic  Poorly controlled diabetes
problems, such as Down  Drug or alcohol use or exposure to
syndrome. chemicals or radiation
 Age: premature infants  Presence of other congenital heart
 Gender: female defects.

damage to the fetus’ circulatory


system which includes blood vessels
and the heart

ductus arteriosus that connects the


aorta and the pulmonary artery fails to
close at birth

shunting of oxygenated blood from the high pressure


aorta to the low pressure pulmonary artery

increased volume of blood passing through the lungs

increased volume of blood returning to the left atrium

shunted blood passes to the left ventricle

bulging of the
aorta and
pulmonary artery
blood goes out to the aorta proximal to the
PDA occurs as a
result of increased
blood volume and
turbulent flow

blood shunts back to the


pulmonary artery

Pathophysiology from [Link]


.

continuous repetition of the


cycle of shunting pressure
difference between
the aorta and
pulmonary artery
backflow of blood to continuous increase of blood
(greatest during
the right ventricle volume circulating in the lungs
systole), and
consequently
continuous flow
through the PDA
compensation of the
cardiac muscle pulmonary congestion

production of a
right tachy- characteristic
ventricular cardia or increased pressure at the lungs continuous
hyper- other machine-like
trophy arrythmia murmur

pulmonary hypertension
pressure in the
loss of ability to pulmonary artery
efficiently pump blood equals or even
to the pulmonary exceeds that of the
artery and the lungs aorta
decreased oxygenated
blood
right-sided heart either the diastolic
failure portion of the
murmur or the
increase oxygen complete murmur
demand may disappear
due to flow
reversal (reverse
shunting PDA)
easy fatigability compensation by
increasing ventilation

blood then
poor eating persistent fast bypasses the
breathing or lungs
breathlessness

poor growth decreased functioning of the


immune system to resist infection no oxygenation of
Pathophysiology from
and of the respiratory system to [Link]
the blood
expel offending microorganisms
cyanosis
frequent respiratory
infections

Pathophysiology from [Link]

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