Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a heart condition where a blood vessel called the ductus arteriosus, which normally closes shortly after birth, remains open. This vessel connects the pulmonary artery to the aorta during fetal development to bypass the lungs. When it stays open after birth, it causes abnormal blood flow between these two major arteries.
The signs of PDA can vary depending on how large the opening is and how much extra blood flows through it. In many cases, especially if the PDA is small, symptoms may be mild or even absent early on. However, when symptoms do appear or if the PDA is larger and causes more significant effects on heart function and lung circulation, they often include:
– **Heart Murmur:** One of the most common signs detected by doctors during physical examination is a distinctive heart murmur caused by turbulent blood flow through the open ductus arteriosus.
– **Rapid Breathing or Shortness of Breath:** Babies with PDA often breathe faster than normal even at rest because their lungs are working harder due to increased blood flow from the left side of the heart back into pulmonary circulation.
– **Fatigue and Poor Feeding:** Infants may tire easily during feeding because their hearts are overworked trying to pump extra blood; this can lead to poor weight gain or failure to thrive.
– **Sweating While Feeding:** Excessive sweating in babies while feeding can be another sign that their hearts are struggling with increased workload caused by PDA.
– **Frequent Respiratory Infections:** Because excess fluid accumulates in lung tissues from abnormal circulation patterns, children with untreated PDA might experience recurrent respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia.
– **Cyanosis (Bluish Skin Color):** Although less common in isolated PDA without other defects, some infants might show bluish discoloration around lips or fingertips due to insufficient oxygen delivery when complications arise.
– **Signs of Congestive Heart Failure:** Larger PDAs can cause congestive heart failure symptoms including swelling (edema) in legs or abdomen due to fluid buildup from inefficient cardiac output and increased pressure in lung vessels.
In older children and adults who have an untreated patent ductus arteriosus since infancy:
– They may experience shortness of breath during exercise.
– Palpitations (awareness of irregular heartbeat) could occur.
– Fatigue upon exertion becomes more noticeable.
– Pulmonary hypertension—high pressure within lung arteries—can develop over time leading to further complications like right-sided heart strain.
Doctors often detect these signs initially through physical examination focusing on murmurs followed by diagnostic tests such as echocardiography which visualizes abnormal blood flow patterns confirming presence and size of PDA. Early recognition based on these clinical features helps guide timely treatment decisions aimed at closing this persistent vessel either medically or surgically before serious complications develop.
