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Anyone Who Had A Heart by Phil Stephens

Part VI—Brianna: Conclusion

The echocardiogram reveals that blood is flowing between Brianna’s left and right ventricles due to a ventricle septal defect.

Diagram of heart with ventrical septal defect

Questions

  1. Does this diagnosis fit Brianna’s vital signs?
  2. What created Brianna’s heart murmur?
  3. Why is Brianna’s blood pressure lower than Christopher’s?
  4. Is it reasonable that Brianna’s arterial PO2 is the same as Christopher’s?
  5. Why is Brianna breathing rapidly and deeply?
  6. Do you think Brianna’s blood pressure is normal? Explain your answer.
  7. Why is Brianna congested?
  8. What is the long-term treatment for Brianna’s condition?


Originally published at http://www.sciencecases.org/fetal_heart/fetal_heart6.asp

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