Which statement about ventricular septal defect is true?

Which statement about ventricular septal defect is true?

• A. It is an opening between the atrial septum.
• B. It is an opening between the ventricular septa.
• C. It is a narrowing of the aorta.
• D. It is the absence of a ventricular septum.

Answer: (B)

A ventricular septal defect is an opening in the interventricular septum, creating a connection between the left and right ventricles. Because the left ventricle normally has higher systolic pressure, blood shunts from left to right through this hole, increasing pulmonary blood flow. This distinguishes it from an opening in the atrial septum (which would be an atrial septal defect), and from conditions like narrowing of the aorta (coarctation) or complete absence of the ventricular septum. Clinically, the impact depends on the size of the defect: small defects may be silent or close spontaneously, while large ones can cause heart failure in infancy and may require medical management or surgical repair.

A ventricular septal defect is an opening in the interventricular septum, creating a connection between the left and right ventricles. Because the left ventricle normally has higher systolic pressure, blood shunts from left to right through this hole, increasing pulmonary blood flow. This distinguishes it from an opening in the atrial septum (which would be an atrial septal defect), and from conditions like narrowing of the aorta (coarctation) or complete absence of the ventricular septum. Clinically, the impact depends on the size of the defect: small defects may be silent or close spontaneously, while large ones can cause heart failure in infancy and may require medical management or surgical repair.