Atrial septal defect and training-induced changes in loading conditions: Clinical management and implications for competitive athletes

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is the most common congenital heart disease in adults. When right heart dilation occurs, prompt closure should be considered. In the athletic population, however, the management of ASD can be challenging. Indeed, while the training-induced haemodynamic effects on the right heart of an athlete with open ASD are not well known, possible device-related consequences may occur after percutaneous closure. We report the case of a competitive athlete with secundum ASD in which changes in the training regime significantly affected the right heart. Prompt normalisation of right ventricular size and of pulmonary artery pressures was demonstrated 2 months after percutaneous ASD closure.