Patent ductus arteriosus (patient information)
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What is patent ductus arteriosus?
How do I know if I have patent ductus arteriosus and what are the symptoms of patent ductus arteriosus?
Infants with patent ductus arteriosus may have symptoms such as:
- Bounding pulse
- Fast breathing
- Poor feeding habits
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating while feeding
- Fatigue
- Poor growth
Other health problems may also cause these symptoms. Only a doctor can tell for sure. A person with any of these symptoms should tell the doctor so that the problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
Who is at risk for patent ductus arteriosus?
Like many congenital heart disease, the cause of patent ductus arteriosus is not clear. Clinical studies suggest that the genetic and environmental factors both play an important role during the pregnancy.
- Genetic disorders such as Down syndrome
- Pregnant woman had German measles during pregnancy
How to know you have patent ductus arteriosus?
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Diseases with similar symptoms
Where to find medical care for patent ductus arteriosus?
Directions to Hospitals Treating patent ductus arteriosus
Prevention of patent ductus arteriosus
Although the cause is unknown, the following measures may be helpful to decrease the risk of having a baby with patent ductus arteriosus.
- Screening test and regular check for people with genetic disorders
- Pregnant woman need to avoiding German measles infection during pregnancy.
What to expect (Outook/Prognosis)?
Copyleft Sources
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001560.htm
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/pda/pda_what.html