Why are patients with ventricular septal defect afraid of pneumonia?

Generally, there is no such saying as "why ventricular septal defect patients fear pneumonia." However, patients with ventricular septal defect (VSD) may be prone to pneumonia due to factors such as impaired immune function, respiratory dysfunction, abnormal cardiac structure, pulmonary hypertension, and pulmonary congestion. The detailed analysis is as follows:

1. Impaired Immune Function: Some medications used by patients with ventricular septal defect may affect the normal function of the immune system, leading to reduced immunity and an increased risk of pneumonia. It is important in daily care to ensure adequate intake of protein, vitamins, and minerals to maintain normal immune function.

2. Respiratory Dysfunction: Cardiac abnormalities caused by ventricular septal defect may affect the respiratory muscles and reduce breathing efficiency, making patients more susceptible to respiratory tract infections. Patients are advised to perform respiratory exercises when their condition permits, to strengthen respiratory muscles and improve respiratory function.

3. Abnormal Cardiac Structure: Ventricular septal defect is a type of congenital heart disease. Due to incomplete development of the ventricular septum during embryogenesis, an abnormal communication forms between the left and right ventricles, causing blood to shunt from the left ventricle to the right ventricle. This increases pulmonary blood flow and predisposes patients to pneumonia. Regular monitoring via echocardiography and other tests is recommended to closely track the size of the defect, cardiac function, and changes in pulmonary circulation pressure.

4. Pulmonary Hypertension: The left-to-right shunt caused by VSD increases blood flow in the pulmonary circulation, which over time can lead to pulmonary arterial hypertension. Under medical guidance, drug therapy such as nifedipine tablets, bosentan tablets, or sildenafil citrate tablets may be used to reduce pulmonary artery pressure.

5. Pulmonary Congestion: Increased cardiac load in patients with ventricular septal defect may lead to left heart failure and pulmonary congestion, creating favorable conditions for the development of pneumonia. Medications such as furosemide injection, benazepril hydrochloride tablets, and metoprolol tartrate sustained-release tablets may be used as prescribed to control heart failure symptoms and alleviate pulmonary congestion.

Patients with ventricular septal defect should receive enhanced daily monitoring, with prompt identification and management of signs of infection. When necessary, active anti-infective treatment should be administered to reduce the incidence of pneumonia and associated complications.