Ventricular septal defect (VSD) is a congenital heart defect which means that problems occur during the early stages of the heart’s development. Although genetic and environmental factors have been found to contribute to the presence of VSD, no clear cause of VSD has been found. Generally, genetics are recognised as the biggest risk factor for VSD and it can be associated with other genetic problems as well. In rare cases, VSD can also be developed later in life as a result of a heart attack or previous heart procedures.
