The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Ventricular septal defect includes the 33 symptoms listed below:
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Clinical features of VSD vary with the defect’s size, the shunting’s effect on the pulmonary vasculature, and the infant’s age. In a small VSD, shunting is minimal, and pulmonary artery pressure and heart size remain normal. Such defects may eventually close spontaneously without ever causing symptoms.
Initially, large VSD shunts cause left atrial and left ventricular hypertrophy. Later, an uncorrected VSD will cause right ventricular hypertrophy due to increasing pulmonary vascular resistance. Eventually, biventricular heart failure and cyanosis (from reversal of shunt direction) occur. Resulting cardiac hypertrophy may make the anterior chest wall prominent. A large VSD increases the risk of pneumonia.
Infants with large VSDs are thin and small and gain weight slowly. They may develop heart failure with dusky skin; liver, heart, and spleen enlargement because of systemic venous congestion; diaphoresis; feeding difficulties; rapid, grunting respirations; and increased heart rate. They may also develop severe pulmonary hypertension. Fixed pulmonary hypertension may occur much later in life with right-to-left shunt (Eisenmenger complex), causing cyanosis and clubbing of the nail beds.
The typical murmur associated with a VSD is blowing or rumbling and varies in frequency. In the neonate, a moderately loud early systolic murmur may be heard along the lower left sternal border. About the second or third day after birth, the murmur may become louder and longer. In infants, the murmur may be loudest near the heart’s base and may suggest pulmonary stenosis. A small VSD may produce a functional murmur or a characteristic loud, harsh systolic murmur. Larger VSDs produce audible murmurs (at least a grade 3 pansystolic), loudest at the fourth intercostal space, usually with a thrill. In addition, the pulmonic component of S 2 sounds loud and is widely split. Palpation reveals displacement of the point of maximal impulse to the left. When fixed pulmonary hypertension is present, a diastolic murmur may be audible on auscultation, the systolic murmur becomes quieter, and S2 is greatly accentuated.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
A small septal perforation is usually asymptomatic but may produce a whistle on inspiration. A large perforation causes rhinitis, epistaxis, nasal crusting, and watery discharge.
The patient with a deviated septum may develop a crooked nose, as the midline deflects to one side. The predominant symptom of severe deflection, however, is nasal obstruction. Other manifestations include a sensation of fullness in the face, shortness of breath, stertor (snoring or laborious breathing), nasal discharge, recurring epistaxis, infection, sinusitis, and headache.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
When considering symptoms of Ventricular septal defect, it is also important to consider Ventricular septal defect as a possible cause of other medical conditions. The Disease Database lists the following medical conditions that Ventricular septal defect may cause:
These general reference articles may be of interest in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:
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The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Ventricular septal defect. This signs and symptoms information for Ventricular septal defect has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Ventricular septal defect signs or Ventricular septal defect symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Ventricular septal defect may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Ventricular septal defect symptoms.
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