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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you find out you have a congenital heart defect, or you've had surgery to correct one, you may wonder about limitations on activities and other issues.
- Exercise. Having an atrial septal defect usually doesn't restrict you from activities or exercise. If you have complications such as heart failure or pulmonary hypertension, you may not be able to do some activities or exercises. Your cardiologist can help you learn what is safe.
- Preventing infection. Some heart defects, and the repair of defects, create changes to the surface of the heart in which bacteria can become stuck and grow into an infection (infective endocarditis). Atrial septal defects generally aren't associated with infective endocarditis. But if you have other heart defects in addition to an atrial septal defect, you may need to take antibiotics before certain dental or surgical procedures.
