What are the causes of chest pain in children and teenagers? Chest pain is very common in children and adolescents and represents a large part of a paediatric cardiologist’s workload. As the chest is a very busy area there are many reasons for pain occurring in the chest. The most common type of chest pain…
Aortic coarctation The aorta is the major artery that carries blood away fro the heart and to the whole body. The artery starts from the left sided pumping chamber (left ventricle) and runs initially in the anterior part of the chest. Subsequently, it turns backwards before bending again in a downward direction, running down the…
What is a patent ductus arteriosus? The structure called ductus arteriosus (or arterial duct) is a normal blood vessel that connects two major body arteries (the pulmonary artery and the aorta) that carry blood away from the heart (into the lungs and the body respectively) during foetal life. The role of the ductus arteriorus is…
What is an ASD? An atrial septal defect (ASD) or a “hole in the heart” is a type of congenital heart defect in which there is an abnormal opening in the wall that normally divides the back chambers of the heart (the atria). It’s not clear why, but ASDs are more common in girls than…
What is a VSD? A ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a type of congenital heart defect where there is an abnormal opening in the wall that normally divides the 2 pumping chambers of the heart (called the ventricles). VSDs are the most common form of congenital heart defects and in most cases they are diagnosed…
What is a heart murmur? An atrial septal defect (ASD) or a “hole in the heart” is a type of congenital heart defect in which there is an abnormal opening in the wall that normally divides the back chambers of the heart (the atria). It’s not clear why, but ASDs are more common in girls…