Question

What is the most common congenital heart defect seen in adults?

• Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)
• Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)
• Coarctation of the Aorta
• Tetralogy of Fallot

Answer

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is the most common congenital heart defect that will be first diagnosed in adulthood with an incidence around 13% of all congenital heart defects.  Most are asymptomatic and are found during routine physical exams, by a presence of a murmur, or incidentally due to increased use of echocardiography in the clinical setting.

References

1. Facts about Atrial Septal Defect.  Centers for Disease Control. 2016. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/heartdefects/atrialseptaldefect.html
2. Krasuski RA. Congenital Heart Disease in the Adult. Cleveland Clinic. 2010.  http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com/medicalpubs/diseasemanagement/cardiology/congenital-heart-disease-in-the-adult/
3. van der Linde D, Konings EE, Slager MA. Birth prevalence of congenital heart disease worldwide: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2011; 58(21):2241-7. [pubmed]