Will I die if I have patent ductus arteriosus?

Will you die if you have patent ductus arteriosus? Patent ductus arteriosus accounts for about 12% of all congenital heart diseases and is one of the three most common simple congenital heart diseases. Although it is a simple congenital heart disease, in fact, patent ductus arteriosus is also full of dangers. We must not ignore the timely treatment and attention of patent ductus arteriosus just because it is simple. So, will you die if you have patent ductus arteriosus?

The ductus arteriosus was originally a normal blood flow channel between the pulmonary artery and the aorta during the fetal period. Since the lungs do not have respiratory function at that time, the pulmonary artery blood from the right ventricle enters the descending aorta through the ductus, while the blood from the left ventricle enters the ascending aorta. Therefore, the ductus arteriosus is necessary for the special circulation mode during the embryonic period. After birth, the lungs expand and assume the function of gas exchange. The pulmonary circulation and systemic circulation each perform their respective duties. Soon the ductus will close automatically due to disuse. If it continues to not close, it will constitute a pathological condition, which is called patent ductus arteriosus.

In uncomplicated patent ductus arteriosus, since the aortic pressure is higher than the pulmonary artery pressure, blood is shunted from left to right, that is, from the aorta to the pulmonary artery, whether in systole or diastole. As a result, the blood flow in the pulmonary circulation increases, often reaching 2 to 4 times the blood flow in the systemic circulation, causing the pulmonary artery and its branches to expand. The blood returning to the left atrium and left ventricle also increases accordingly, increasing the load on the left ventricle, thereby increasing the size of the left ventricle.

Will patent ductus arteriosus lead to death? If patent ductus arteriosus is treated in time, it will not lead to death. If patent ductus arteriosus is not treated, the amount of blood returning to the left atrium and left ventricle will increase, greatly increasing the load of the left ventricle during diastole, causing left atrial enlargement, left ventricular hypertrophy, increased pulse pressure, peripheral vascular disease, and even heart failure leading to sudden death.