Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
What is Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)?
A Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) is an artery that
is present in the fetus to connect the pulmonary
artery to the aorta. It is necessary to direct blood
flow away from the lungs because the lungs are
collapsed prior to birth. When the infant is born
and begins to breathe, there is a stimulus which
causes the PDA to close. If the PDA does not close,
blood will flow from the aorta to the pulmonary
artery and out to the lungs, causing an excess of
pulmonary blood flow.
What are the warning signs and symptoms
of Patent Ductus Arteriosus?
If a PDA is small, there are generally no
symptoms. If the PDA is large, there will be a
significant excess in blood flow to the lungs. This
causes the heart to have to pump more blood. The
increases work load can lead to signs of congestive
heart failure, including labored breathing,
difficulty feeding, and poor growth.
How is Patent Ductus Arteriosus detected?
The first sign is often the presence of a heart
murmur. The diagnosis is documented with an
echocardiogram. (An echocardiogram is a test that
provides pictures of the heart’s valves and chambers
to evaluate the pumping action of the heart.)
What are the treatment options for Patent
Ductus Arteriosus?
For many years, the only treatment option for PDA was
surgical closure. More recently, it has been possible to close certain types of
PDA during a cardiac catheterization.
PDA is quite common in premature infants because the ductal tissue is too
immature to respond to the stimulus to close. It is often possible to close
these premature Ductuses by giving a medicine called Indomethacin. This
medication is given intravenously and can stimulate the muscles of the Ductus
Arteriosus to contract and close. This medicine, however, is only successful in
closing PDA in prematurely born babies. 6/16/2008
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