Eisenmenger Syndrome Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Definition
Eisenmenger syndrome is a syndrome that occurs due to structural abnormalities in the heart. This condition causes blood circulation disorders from the heart to the lungs. Normally blood that already contains oxygen (clean blood) will be distributed throughout the body. However, in patients with Eisenmenger syndrome, clean blood returns to the lungs because of defects such as holes between the ventricles, namely ventricular septal defects (VSD).
Over time, increased blood flow to the lungs can cause damage to the small blood vessels in the lungs. This triggers an increase in pulmonary blood pressure. As a result, blood flow returns to the heart defect and makes clean blood mix with dirty blood (which has not entered the lungs). This dirty blood will eventually spread throughout the body.
Eisenmenger Syndrome Symptoms
Eisenmenger syndrome may occur when a child has not reached puberty or during a young adult. Symptoms felt by sufferers of this syndrome include:
- cyanosis or blueness of the lips, fingers, toes, and skin
- clubbing fingers or clubbing fingers
- tingling or numbness in the fingers and toes
- chest pain
- cough up blood
- Dizzy
- faint
- feel tired
- hard to breathe
- palpitations or pounding heartbeats
- gout or swelling of the joints due to a lot of uric acid
Eisenmenger Syndrome Reason
Most cases of Eisenmenger syndrome are caused by structural abnormalities in the heart or congenital abnormalities in the form of damage between the heart chambers. Conditions associated with this include:
- ventricular septal defect (VSD)
- atrial septal defect (ASD)
- cyanotic heart disease Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)
- atrioventricular canal defect
- patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
- trunk arteriosus
Eisenmenger Syndrome Diagnosis
In determining the diagnosis of Eisenmenger syndrome, the doctor will find out about the symptoms felt by the sufferer through a medical interview. Apart from that, the doctor will also do a physical examination.
On physical examination, the doctor will find arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms), finger clubbing and heart murmurs (additional heart sounds). Investigations that can be carried out include a complete blood count, chest X-ray, cardiac MRI, cardiac catheterization, EKG, and echocardiogram.
Eisenmenger Syndrome Treatment
The procedure that must be done to cure Eisenmenger syndrome is to repair the heart defect. Nowadays, heart defects can be recognized early so they usually don’t cause Eisenmenger syndrome.
In patients with Eisenmenger syndrome, it is sometimes necessary to do a phlebotomy or bleed to reduce the number of red blood cells. After that, the patient will be given an additional search. Patients may also be given oxygen, although its use is still debated.
Medicines to relax and open blood vessels are also given. Severe sufferers may be advised to do a heart-lung transplant.
Prevention
Eisenmenger syndrome can be prevented by repairing the heart defect immediately with surgery.