Is a patent ductus arteriosus heart murmur serious in children?

Patent ductus arteriosus in children can cause heart murmurs, and the severity of the condition needs to be determined based on the patient's condition. If the patent ductus arteriosus is small and has no obvious symptoms, it is usually not a big problem; but if the ductus is large or accompanied by other pathological symptoms, it may have a serious impact on the heart and pulmonary circulation and requires timely treatment. General treatment includes medication, interventional therapy or surgical repair, and specific measures need to be determined based on the severity of the condition.

1. What is patent ductus arteriosus and the nature of heart murmurs

Patent ductus arteriosus refers to the failure of the blood vessel connecting the pulmonary artery and the aorta during the fetal period to close automatically after birth. This abnormality may cause abnormal blood flow and produce a heart murmur. A heart murmur is an abnormal sound discovered by doctors through auscultation and is an important sign of patent ductus arteriosus. If the ductus opening is small, the murmur is mostly a minor problem; however, if the ductus opening is large, it may increase the burden on blood circulation and affect the normal functioning of the heart and lungs.

- Mild murmurs: Usually only detectable by auscultation, with no obvious symptoms in children and no impact on daily life.

- Severe murmurs: May present with symptoms such as shortness of breath, difficulty feeding, and poor physical strength, indicating that the circulatory system is overloaded.

2. Possible complications of patent ductus arteriosus

If the patent ductus arteriosus is not treated for a long time, it may cause a variety of complications, such as heart enlargement (caused by increased heart burden), pulmonary hypertension (long-term excessive blood flow into the pulmonary circulation), and infective endocarditis (blood flow disturbance leads to increased risk of infection). In severe cases, heart failure may also occur. Children with obvious symptoms and large patent ductus arteriosus should be intervened early.

3. Treatment Methods

-Drug therapy: For premature infants, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as indomethacin, ibuprofen) can be used to inhibit prostaglandin synthesis and promote ductal closure. They are suitable for mild to moderate cases or newborns with patent ductus.

-Interventional treatment: The occluder is placed into the catheter site through cardiac catheterization technology to block abnormal blood flow. It is less traumatic and has a faster recovery. It is suitable for cases with obvious effects on murmurs or symptoms.

-Surgical treatment: For larger arterial ductus that is not responsive to medication and interventional treatment, surgical repair of the ductus can be performed by ligating the ductus, which is also suitable for complex cases.

4. Daily care advice

During treatment, parents should pay special attention to their children's growth and development. Some mild cases may close on their own, but if the child is found to have frequent colds, difficulty feeding, and slow weight gain, they should seek medical evaluation in time. Regular echocardiograms are an important means of monitoring the progression of the disease.

Whether the heart murmur caused by patent ductus arteriosus is serious requires specific questions, but if not intervened in time, it may cause serious cardiopulmonary problems. Parents should closely observe the changes in their children's symptoms and actively cooperate with doctors to take appropriate treatment measures to ensure the healthy growth of their children.