This site is intended for healthcare professionals

account_circleSign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Maintenance of the ductus arteriosus

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

In some cyanotic heart disease it is necessary to maintain the duct to prolong survival. Patency of the ductus is encouraged by low oxygen partial pressure and high concentrations of prostaglandins E1 and E2.

Therapy includes:

  • prostaglandin E1 or E2 therapy - i.v. infusion or by mouth. Under extreme circumstances an intraosseous route may be used.

  • avoidance of oxygen supplementation - this is contraversial; some authorities maintain that oxygen therapy will not close a duct in cyanotic heart disease

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page