A Hole in the Interventricular Septum Causes

Question

A hole in the interventricular septum causes
A) a right-to-left shunt.
B) extreme cyanosis.
C) blood to shunt from the left ventricle to the right ventricle.
D) blood to shunt from the left ventricle to the pulmonary artery.

Accepted Answer

A hole in the interventricular septum (the wall separating the right and left ventricles of the heart) causes blood to shunt from the left ventricle to the right ventricle. This is because the pressure in the left ventricle is higher than that in the right ventricle, so blood will naturally flow from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. This is known as a left-to-right shunt. Over time, this can lead to increased blood flow into the lungs and an increased workload on the right side of the heart, which can lead to heart failure if not treated. However, extreme cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the skin) is not typically associated with a ventricular septal defect. A right-to-left shunt would be a rare complication that could occur if the pressures in the right side of the heart become higher than those in the left side, which could happen in cases of severe pulmonary hypertension or other conditions that decrease lung function.