Atrioventricular septal defect
Structured condition card with NCLEX priority cues and nursing action focus.
CardiacPediatricsOB / Newbornhigh priorityneeds review
Atrioventricular septal defect
Also testable as: AVSD, AV canal defect, Endocardial cushion defect
Etiology / Pathophysiology
- Congenital defect involving the center of the heart where atrial septum, ventricular septum, and AV valves meet.
- Mixing and excess pulmonary blood flow can cause heart failure and poor growth in infancy.
Medications
| Class | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Diuretics | May be ordered for heart failure symptoms before repair. |
Signs / symptoms
- Congenital heart disease plus poor feeding.
- Common association with Down syndrome.
- Tachypnea during feeds is cardiac workload.
Nursing actions
- Assess feeding fatigue, sweating with feeds, tachypnea, cyanosis, weight gain, and hepatomegaly.
- Conserve energy with clustered care and feeding support.
- Prepare caregivers for cardiology follow-up and surgical repair pathway.
Complications
- Heart failure
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Poor growth
- Respiratory infections
NCLEX cues
- Congenital heart disease plus poor feeding.
- Common association with Down syndrome.
- Tachypnea during feeds is cardiac workload.
Memory hooks
- AVSD is a central hole and valve problem.
Labs / Diagnostics
- Echocardiogram
- Pulse oximetry
- Chest x-ray
- Growth trends
Review notes
- Supplemental wife-requested study card. Use for NCLEX review only and verify against school materials, ATI/NCLEX review sources, current orders, and facility policy.
Cross references
Related cards are generated from the shared study map, not hand-built per page.
Source entitycondition card
Atrioventricular septal defect
Condition card for Atrioventricular septal defect: recognize the testable cue, prevent the complication, and choose the safest first nursing action.
Termcondition cue
AVSD
Congenital defect involving the atrial septum, ventricular septum, and AV valves.
Med classmedication safety
Diuretics
Moves fluid out through the kidneys; the exact electrolyte effect depends on the class.
Procedureprocedure
Cardiac surgery post-op care
Post-operative monitoring after heart or congenital cardiac repair.
Procedureprocedure
Echocardiogram
Ultrasound of heart structure, valves, movement, and blood flow.