Patent ductus arteriosus in Malaysia

Findings are reviewed of isolated Patent Ductus Arteriosus after infancy as seen in 181 patients studied at the University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, during the period 1967 to 1975. The ages of patients ranged from nine months to 54 years. Eighty-two patients underwent cardiac catheterization. More than 50% of patients were above ten years of age; the sex ratio was 1 male: 2.93 females. Thirty-two per cent of the patients had significant effort dyspnoea or were in heart failure. The complications noted were elevated pulmonary vascular resistance, Eisenmenger syndrome, bacterial endocarditis and cardiac failure.