MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Atrial septal defect

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Atrial septal defect

An atrial septal defect is a congenital heart defect where the wall between the right and left atria does not close properly, leaving a hole between the two atria.

Update Date: 5/30/2006

Updated by: Alan Berger, MD, Assistant Professor, Divisions of Cardiology and Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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