Looking for the ideal response to an infant parent's question.

Question

When administering indomethacin to an infant with a persistent patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). The mother asks why the medication is being given to her baby. What is the best response to this question?

Answer 1

Indometacin is an NSAID. It causes vasoconstriction of the ductus arteriosus, cutting off blood flow from the pulmonary artery to the aorta. This causes blood to flow from th PA to the lungs and blood from the left ventricular to flow through the aorta. The increased pressure in the aorta also helps to close the ductus.