Have you ever heard about someone experiencing a heart murmur? In many cases, a heart murmur is a harmless sound that doesn’t indicate any dangerous health condition. On the other hand, not all murmurs are normal: Some may indicate an abnormality of the heart. It’s essential to identify the reason for heart murmurs and when to worry about a heart murmur.
When the heart valves open and close to pump blood, it produces a “lub-dub” sound. A heart murmur is an extra sound that is similar to a swishing and whooshing noise that doctors can hear with a stethoscope. This sound is caused by turbulent or rough blood flow through the heart’s valves and chambers.
The classification of heart murmurs depends on when they occur during the heartbeat cycle. A systolic murmur occurs when the heart contracts, and a diastolic murmur occurs when it relaxes between beats. A continuous murmur is heard during both phases.
If a heart murmur is harmless, then you won’t notice any symptoms. If your heart murmur is because of heart disease or a structural heart issue, you may notice:
Children or babies with a heart murmur because of heart problems may also have:
GP Glenroy at Magnus Medical can also check if a heart murmur is serious or harmless.
A heart murmur is not a health condition. It tells the condition of your heart, like what’s going on in your heart, signalling that further evaluation is required. In most cases, a heart will resolve on its own. Less commonly, a heart murmur can also be a sign of a serious heart condition requiring prompt treatment. You won’t die from a heart murmur, but it can be a symptom of heart disease, which is one of the primary causes of death worldwide.
However, even abnormal heart murmurs can be treated with lifestyle changes. Sometimes, an abnormal heart murmur will need surgical treatment.
Innocent heart murmurs usually have no discernible cause. Abnormal heart murmurs can be caused by:
For understanding the causes of a heart murmur, Pathology Glenroy can be useful because it explains the underlying valve diseases.
The severity of a heart murmur depends on whether there is any underlying cause. A heart murmur doesn’t signal an underlying condition in many cases. In cases of an abnormal heart murmur, the causes can include:
These are conditions that should be treated early and sometimes can be considered serious.
The paediatrician of your child detects a heart murmur during an exam, they may recommend further testing. This testing is the standard way of determining whether there is a serious cause of a heart murmur. In most pediatric cases, heart murmurs are determined to be harmless or innocent, meaning they will likely go away on their own. Less than 1% of pediatric heart murmurs referred for further testing are diagnosed with a congenital heart condition.
In most adult cases of a heart murmur, a healthcare professional will ask for an echocardiogram to assess the structure of the heart and the function of the heart valves. If there are atypical findings in an echocardiogram, the doctor will refer you to a cardiologist who can help further evaluate when treatment is required. Depending on the severity of the results, surgery or medications may be required. Don’t ignore chest pain or other signs of a heart not working efficiently. Signs that you need to see a doctor include:
Conclusion
A harmless heart murmur can go away on its own. This usually happens with children and infants. However, if you notice serious signs, consult with a doctor to determine whether any action is required. For medical help, you can get in touch with Magnus Medical.
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