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The physical finding of cyanosis is common in:

A. Atrial septal defect
B. Eisenmenger's syndrome
C. Patent ductus arteriosus
D. Ventricular septal defect

User Bublik
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Final answer:

Cyanosis is a common physical finding in Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart defect that includes a ventricular septal defect, causing mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood that leads to a decreased level of oxygen in the blood.

Step-by-step explanation:

The physical finding of cyanosis, a blue or purple coloration of the skin due to a lack of oxygen in the blood, is commonly seen in conditions associated with congenital heart defects, particularly those that result in the mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood or impede oxygenated blood flow. Tetralogy of Fallot is one such condition that commonly causes cyanosis and is characterized by four anatomical abnormalities of the heart, one of them being a ventricular septal defect (VSD). This defect allows blood with low oxygen levels from the right ventricle to flow into the left ventricle and mix with oxygen-rich blood, leading to cyanosis, especially upon exertion. Other conditions like patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and atrial septal defect (ASD) may not typically present with cyanosis unless complicated by other factors like high pulmonary pressures or reversal of blood flow due to advanced disease states like Eisenmenger's syndrome.

User Reese Moore
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