Cardio| Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)

1.11 Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) Cardiovascular system review for the USMLE Step 1 exam. Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a congenital heart defect where the ductus arteriosus, a connection between the pulmonary artery and aorta, fails to close after birth. PDA results in oxygenated blood being shunted into pulmonary circulation, leading to volume overload in the pulmonary circulation and eventually the left side of the heart. Symptoms include tachycardia, tachypnea, machine-like constant murmur, bounding pulses, respiratory distress, and pneumonia. Treatment options include fluid restriction, supportive care, and pharmacological interventions such as indomethacin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen to reduce prostaglandin production and close the PDA. If these interventions don't work, surgical ligation may be performed to close the PDA. PDA is so painful to watch, you have to take NSAIDs afterwards.