Which of the following is an example of a septal defect?

Which of the following is an example of a septal defect?

• A. Atrial septal defect
• B. Tetralogy of Fallot
• C. Patent ductus arteriosus
• D. Coarctation of the aorta

Answer: (A)

Septal defects are holes in the walls that separate the heart’s chambers. An atrial septal defect is exactly that—a hole in the wall between the atria—so it directly fits the definition of a septal defect. Tetralogy of Fallot does include a ventricular septal defect, but it’s a complex congenital heart disease with several defects, not just a simple septal hole. Patent ductus arteriosus is a persistent tunnel between the aorta and pulmonary artery, not a hole in a septum. Coarctation of the aorta is a narrowing of the aorta, again not a septal defect. Therefore, the clear example of a septal defect is atrial septal defect.

Septal defects are holes in the walls that separate the heart’s chambers. An atrial septal defect is exactly that—a hole in the wall between the atria—so it directly fits the definition of a septal defect. Tetralogy of Fallot does include a ventricular septal defect, but it’s a complex congenital heart disease with several defects, not just a simple septal hole. Patent ductus arteriosus is a persistent tunnel between the aorta and pulmonary artery, not a hole in a septum. Coarctation of the aorta is a narrowing of the aorta, again not a septal defect. Therefore, the clear example of a septal defect is atrial septal defect.