Welcome to the ventricular septal defect page. On this page we provide a definition, sample heart sounds and links to the training lessons available on this site.
Ventricular septal defect is the presence of one or more holes in the septum, the wall separating the left and right ventricles. It is a relatively common congenital heart defect.
Ventricular septal defect is diagnosed by cardiac auscultation, as discussed below. Additional tests may include heart catheterization, chest x-ray, EKG, echocardiogram and MRI.
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Below there is a simulated example of an ventricular septal defect as heard at the tricuspid position. Ventricular Septal Defect is a congenital condition associated with abnormal blood flow between the left ventricle and the right ventricle. During fetal development a wall develops creating a right and left ventricle. In a percentage of individuals a defect in the wall persists allowing blood flow from the left ventricle into the right ventricle. This condition is known as a ventricular septal defect. The first heart sound is normal. The second heart sound is unsplit. There is a third heart sound followed by a short diamond shaped diastolic murmur. A medium pitched murmur fills all of systole.
In addition to the simulated heart sound we have included a recording of a patient.
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