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Living with Atrial septal defect, ostium primum type

A rare heart condition with a hole in the wall between the upper heart chambers, present from birth.

Understanding Atrial septal defect, ostium primum type

Atrial septal defect, ostium primum type is a rare heart condition with a hole in the wall between the upper chambers of the heart.

The hole is only at the atrial level. It is present from before birth and noticed in infancy.

Signs & symptoms

Symptoms vary from person to person. GARD lists these among the most common:

  • Shortness of breath with activity
  • Tiredness
  • Heart murmur
  • Palpitations (heart pounding or fluttering)
  • Frequent respiratory infections
  • Leaky heart valves (mitral or tricuspid regurgitation)

Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.

Diagnosis

  1. Talk with your doctor

    Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.

  2. See a specialist

    Specialists who may be involved include genetic specialists and heart and blood vessel specialists.

  3. Consider genetic testing

    Changes in TLL1 are linked to this condition. Genetic testing and counseling can help confirm a diagnosis and explain what it means for your family.

Care & treatment

Care team
Genetic specialists (geneticists); Heart and blood vessel specialists (cardiologists)
Expert care
Ask about multidisciplinary care centers for rare conditions
Treatment
GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
Research
Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.

General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.

Everyday life

Living with a rare condition is easier with support.

  • Connect with rare disease patient organizations for support
  • Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
  • Ask about patient registries that help research
  • Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Bring these questions to your next doctor visit
Does the hole need to be closed, and when?
How should heart rhythm and valves be monitored?
Would TLL1 testing help family members?

Quick facts

Symptoms usually startduring Pregnancy, at Birth, and as an Infant
InheritanceAutosomal Dominant
GenesTLL1

GARD says changes in the TLL1 gene cause this condition. It is autosomal dominant, meaning one changed copy of the gene can be enough to cause it.

Genetic

Also known as: asd ostium primum type; asd, ostium primum type; atrial septal defect ostium primum; atrioventricular defect with atrial shunting only; incomplete atrioventricular canal defect with isolated atrial component; incomplete atrioventricular septal defect with isolated atrial component

Patient organizations

Rare-disease groups that can help

Source: NIH GARD · Atrial septal defect, ostium primum typeGARD ID 10695 · GARD page updated September 2026 · Plain-language summary by Know Rare; editorial review pending. General information, not medical advice.

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