Ventricular Septal Defect Essay

This paper seeks to assess the Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD). Ventricular Septal Defect is a condition mainly found in the newborn or children. The children with Ventricular Septal Defect have a hole in their heart, and the condition is mainly presented at birth. The hole is the source of the heart issues because it provides a weakness in the heart and blood can flow from the right ventricle to the left ventricle. Ventricular Septal Defect causes a problem to the child when the oxygenated blood passes through the hole back to the heart, which makes the heart to work hard. The lack of appetite result from stomach upset which develops from a poor digestive system which affects the well-being of a child.

The heart is forced to work extra hard which makes the child get tired quickly. If a child cannot play and eat as good as his or her colleagues, their development physically and mentally becomes very slow. Thus, the defect affects almost all the body organs (Egbe, 13). For example, the body needs oxygen to operate appropriately. Inactivity of the children makes it difficult for the children to develop physically. Prevention and treatment Although one cannot prevent a disease which is caused by genetics, Ventricular Septal Defect can also be caused by environmental factors surrounding a pregnant woman. One of the possible prevention technics for many defects related to pregnancy includes getting early prenatal care. Prenatal care helps a mother to learn various ways of ensuring that they have a healthy pregnancy through discussing lifestyle changes.

The doctor can also prescribe medication to help in the pregnancy development. Oxygen is a very important element in the body, and lack of it is the reason for all the symptoms related to Ventricular Septal Defect. Medication Apart from preventing the diseases through keeping the pregnancy healthy and counseling about genetic disorders, the conditions can be treated or managed through medication such as diuretic drugs with the purpose of removing any extra fluids in the lungs. The lungs can develop the fluids which result from the unwanted elements in the body (Giannopoulos). The second medication is digoxin which can be added to the diuretic to strengthen the heart. Digoxin can also help to lower the blood pressure on a child by decreasing the workload of the heart.

Although the condition is not very common in the United States, it needs to be monitored closely to prevent risks associated with it. Some cases of Ventricular Septal Defect are caused by lack of development of a vein or an artery and, therefore, the hole develops to fill the gap. Although research does not indicate how the defect can be prevented, keeping the pregnancy healthy is the first step towards prevention of any form of complication. The condition takes many forms depending on the size of the hole. The tiny holes can close overtime while the middle and the large holes can be treated with medication and in many cases surgery. Egbe, Alexander C. , et al. "Supracristal ventricular septal defect in adults: Is it time for a paradigm shift?.