A ventricular septal defect means that there is a hole between the lower pumping chambers (ventricles) in the heart.
The hole allows blood to flow from the left side of the heart to the right, increasing the pressure of the blood travelling to the lungs and making the heart work harder.
A ventricular septal defect is a form of congenital heart disease – a term used to describe a problem with the heart’s structure and function due to abnormal development before birth.
Our Cardiorespiratory Unit regularly refers to information published by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and the Children's Heart Federation when explaining ventricular septal defect (VSD) to our patients and their families.
Visit the BHF website to download their ventricular septal defect factsheet
Read about ventricular septal defect on the Children's Heart Federation website