Which congenital cardiac anomaly is characterized by a ventricular septal defect (VSD)?

The congenital cardiac anomaly characterized by a ventricular septal defect (VSD) is indeed a ventricular septal defect itself. A VSD is a defect in the wall (septum) dividing the two lower chambers (ventricles) of the heart. This defect allows blood to flow from the left ventricle to the right ventricle, leading to a left-to-right shunt.

In patients with a VSD, the increased blood flow to the right ventricle can result in volume overload and potentially lead to pulmonary hypertension if untreated. Unlike other congenital anomalies such as atrial septal defects or pulmonary stenosis, which involve different structures of the heart or describe different types of blood flow issues, a ventricular septal defect specifically refers to the defect that occurs in the ventricular septum itself.

Thus, when the question asks about an anomaly characterized by a VSD, it directly points to the condition itself, highlighting its nature as a primary defect in the cardiac structure.