Undiagnosed Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defect Presenting as Congestive Heart Failure in an Elderly Woman

Varshitha T Panduranga1, Maureen Masara1, Adam Kurnick2

  • 1Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA.

JACC. Case Reports
|July 4, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Elderly patients rarely develop hemodynamically significant ventricular septal defects (VSDs). This case highlights the potential for unrepaired small VSDs to cause acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock in older adults.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Geriatric Medicine
  • Congenital Heart Disease

Background:

  • Ventricular septal defects (VSDs) are typically diagnosed in childhood.
  • Hemodynamically significant VSDs are uncommon in adults, especially the elderly.
  • Long-term outcomes of unrepaired small VSDs in older populations are poorly understood.
Abstract

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