title: Intravascular ultrasound imaging of a patent ductus arteriosus in an adult.
abstract: A small patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is compatible with a normal life span. A non-restrictive PDA may present with signs of heart failure, supraventricular arrhythmia's, bacterial endocarditis or endarteritis later in life. Fewer than 50% of patients, including those with small shunts, are symptomatic by the age of 50. Considering that 40% of patients with PDA's will die before the age of 45 as a result of bacterial endocarditis or heart failure, closure of the PDA is recommended. Exceptions are patients with a nondilated heart, a right-to-left shunt, or age greater than 60 years old. Because of the wider use of echocardiography, especially transesophageal echocardiography, many PDA's are now detected incidentally in patients without symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Division of Invasive and Interventional Cardiology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Kentucky, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stikovac
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Talley
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Prince
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Stoddard
mesh_terms: D004374:Ductus Arteriosus, Patent / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018618:Echocardiography, Doppler, Color; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged