Large left-to-right shunt through a small atrial septal defect produced by progressive aortic stenosis in the elderly--a case report.

We present a 74-year-old female who showed a large left-to-right shunt through a small atrial septal defect presumably due to diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricle caused by the progression of aortic stenosis. Accordingly, elderly patients with even small atrial septal defect should be followed carefully, since diastolic dysfunction of the acquired left ventricular disorder could increase the left-to-right shunt.