Some problems that a septal defect can cause if it's left untreated are heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, increase in blood flow to your lungs, increase in blood pressure to your lungs, pulmonary hypertension, Heart rhythm abnormalities and a shortened lifespan.
The most common heart defect in people with Down Syndrome is Atrioventricular Septal Defect.
The Atrioventricular Septal Defect is a heart defect that causes holes between the chambers of the right and left sides of the heart, and the valves that control the flow of blood between these chambers may not be formed correctly.
Holes in the heart are fixed using a septal repair device.
The septal repair device is made of two connected patches that are permanently placed in the hole in your heart to cover the left and right atrial sides.
After placement, within the first three months, the lining of the heart wall grows over the patch and seals the hole completely.
Holes in the heart can be hereditary and if someone in your family has or had a hole in their heart when born it's possible for you to get a hole in your heart when born.
Sometimes holes in the heart are caused by birth defects that occur due to your mother being ill or taking medications while pregnant.
Most adults who have holes in their hearts were born with the hole in their heart.
A hole in the heart is usually caused by a birth defect and then the hole may later get bigger as the baby grows and then turns into an adult.
There's no actual 100 percent known cause of holes in the heart but most of them do occur at birth.
However some things that can cause holes in the heart as an adult and child are.
Illnesses your mother contracted while she was pregnant, such as German measles.
Medication your mother took while pregnant.
Genetic causes, meaning the heart condition runs in your family.
Some people with congenital heart disease aren’t diagnosed until they reach adolescence or adulthood.
Others are diagnosed and treated for congenital heart defects as babies or children.