Acyanotic heart defect

An acyanotic heart defect, is a class of congenital heart defects. In these, blood is shunted (flows) from the left side of the heart to the right side of the heart, most often due to a structural defect (hole) in the interventricular septum. People often retain normal levels of oxyhemoglobin saturation in systemic circulation.

This term is outdated, because a person with an acyanotic heart defect may show cyanosis (turn blue due to insufficient oxygen in the blood).

Signs and symptoms
Presentation is the following:
 * Shortness of breath
 * Congested cough
 * Diaphoresis
 * Fatigue
 * Frequent respiratory infections
 * Machine-like heart murmur
 * Tachycardia
 * Tachypnea
 * Respiratory distress
 * Mild cyanosis (in right sided heart failure)
 * Poor growth and development (from increased energy spent on breathing)

Complications
This condition can cause congestive heart failure.

Types
Left to right shunting heart defects include:
 * Ventricular septal defect (VSD) (30% of all congenital heart defects)
 * Atrial septal defect (ASD)
 * Atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD)
 * Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)

Others:
 * levo-Transposition of the great arteries (l-TGA),

Acyanotic heart defects without shunting include:
 * Pulmonary stenosis (a narrowing of the pulmonary valve)
 * Aortic stenosis
 * Coarctation of the aorta

Management
Treatment of this condition can be done via:
 * Medications: Digoxin/Lanoxin
 * Diuretics: Furosemide/Lasix
 * Surgery