I could spend hours trying to explain what I mean by "a.s.d." or "v.s.d.". However, over the course of my long life so far (18 years, in fact), I've explained it over and over and over and over and over again. And what do I accomplish? Hmmm...I'm better off saying "the heart has 4 chambers. A.S.D. is an atrial septal defect. That's when there is a hole between the septum and either atrial. V.S.D. is a ventricle septal defect. That's when there is a hole between the septum and either ventricle". What's a septum? That's the line down the middle, so to say. It divides the heart from left to right.
My point is, it doesn't matter how "easy" I put it, people just don't understand.
Allow me to help. Rather than telling you to "look it up", I found some websites that I think explains it pretty easy. I've pasted most the info below for you.
According to http://heartdisease.about.com/library/weekly/aa020898.htm :
"Well, ventricular septal defects - also called VSD - are similar. A VSD is a "hole" in the wall between the two lower chambers of the heart - the ventricles. This hole may be small, medium-sized or large, and may be single or multiple. It may occur in different parts of the wall, and may sometimes be found along with other heart defects."
What does a VSD do ?
"The wall between ventricles is meant to separate blood passing through each. This is to prevent mixing of "impure" blood from the veins with "pure" blood going to t e arteries.
When the wall is "broken", mixing occurs. Fortunately, though, only "pure" blood flows from the left ventricle into the right; no flow is seen from the right ventricle across the VSD and so "impure" venous blood does not reach the arteries. This is because pressure in the left ventricle is much higher than the right, and fluids always flow from places of high to lower pressure.
Because of this flow from left to right ventricle across the VSD - also called a LEFT to RIGHT SHUNT - more blood than normal flows into the lungs. Just as in atrial septal defects (ASD), this causes frequent "chest colds" and breathing difficulty in children. When the VSD is large, in a very small child, lung blood flow may be so enormous that the tiny ventricles cannot pump such a volume. This causes HEART FAILURE. Heart failure in a child produces rapid shallow breathing, excessive sweating, inability to feed well, irritability, constant crying, and a failure to grow normally.
Have you felt a kitten purring ? Well, here's something interesting about these children with VSD. When you place your hand over their chest, there is a sensation just like that - called a THRILL. It is produced by the forceful flow of blood across the VSD !
One effect seen in VSD - but not in ASD - is the rapid development of changes in the blood vessels of the lungs. These arteries and veins become thick walled and hard early in life. The reason for this is perhaps because blood from the left ventricle, which is the most powerful chamber of the heart, is pumped under high pressure across the VSD into the lungs. To withstand such force, the tubes carrying blood become thick and strong."
Make sense? Good, we're making progress. Check out http://www.cardioaccess.com/diag02.html to see some actual pics of a v.s.d.
Now, on to the a.s.d.:
http://www.pediheart.org/parents/defects/ASD.htm :
An a.s.d. is a hole "separates the right and left sides of The septum is the wall that the heart. A hole in the wall between the two upper chambers is called an atrial septal defect, or ASD. This is one of the simplest forms of congenital heart disease, and was one of the congenital heart defects to be repaired surgically.
Normally, blood entering the right side of the heart stays on the right side (this is low oxygen blood), and blood on the left side of the heart stays on the left side (this is oxygen rich blood) which is then pumped to the body. When a defect or "hole" is present between the atria (or upper chambers), some oxygen rich blood leaks back to the right side of the heart. It then goes back to the lungs even though it is already rich in oxygen. Because of this, there is a significant increase in the blood that goes to the lungs. Over the course of several years, this may impair the function of both the heart and the lungs, resulting in a markedly foreshortened life expectancy.
This defect is usually corrected with open heart surgery to restore normal blood circulation.
Now, on to my leaky tricuspid valve:
Actually, I'm not sure. I just got diagnosed about that one. I'll have to check into myself.
Sorry for the anatomy lesson.