Common Causes
What are the risk factors for heart murmur in infants, children, and adults?
- Congenital heart disease tends to have a familial basis, meaning that there may be a genetic predisposition for a baby to develop a structurally abnormal heart.
- Some valvular diseases are present at birth, but take a lifetime to develop symptoms. ...
- Some valve diseases are due to infection ( endocarditis ). ...
Related Conditions
The good news is that many heart murmurs aren’t dangerous. In fact, many heart murmurs go away on their own over a few months or years. Whether you need treatment for your heart murmur will depend on what type of murmur you have.
What are the risks of having a heart murmur?
Possible causes of heart murmurs include:
- congenital heart defects, including atrial septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus (cardiac shunt), and valve defects
- endocarditis, which is an infection of the heart
- heart valve disease — either regurgitation or stenosis, which is the most common cause of abnormal heart murmurs in adults
Can a heart murmur go away on its own?
One of the most common “abnormal” behaviors is the heart murmur. A heart murmur is a sound often characterized as a “whooshing” or rushing of fluid that can be heard between heartbeats. However, as frightening as this may seem, a heart murmur is not always a bad thing and in many cases is completely normal.
What are the factors usually caused heart murmurs?
What is a heart murmur and is it dangerous?
Is a loud heart murmur serious?
When to see a doctor. Most heart murmurs aren't serious. If you're concerned about a heart murmur, make an appointment to see your primary care provider. Your provider can tell you if follow-up care is needed.
What causes a heart murmur to get louder?
Sometimes, the murmur gets louder when the patient changes position, such as standing up. Certain conditions are linked to pathologic murmurs, including: Mitral valve prolapse with regurgitation: The mitral valve moves in an abnormal way and leaks. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: An abnormal thickening of the heart.
What 5 things can cause a heart murmur?
Other conditions that can cause heart murmurs include:degenerative valve disease.left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.Turner's syndrome.Ehlers–Danlos syndrome.Marfan syndrome.Noonan syndrome.systemic lupus erythematosus.More items...
What do loud heart sounds indicate?
Murmurs are blowing, whooshing, or rasping sounds. They are the result of vibrations caused by turbulent blood flow patterns. This can happen when a valve does not close tightly (such as with mitral regurgitation), or when the blood is flowing through a narrowed opening or a stiff valve (such as with aortic stenosis).
Can you live a long life with a heart murmur?
Living with a heart murmur If you or your child has an innocent heart murmur, you can live a completely normal life. It will not cause you any problems and is not a sign of an issue with your heart. If you have a murmur along with any of the following symptoms, see your doctor: You are very tired.
How do they fix a heart murmur?
Surgery or other procedures Surgery may be needed to correct a condition that causes a worrisome heart murmur. For example, if a narrowed or leaky heart valve is causing the murmur and other symptoms, heart valve repair or replacement may be needed. During heart valve repair, a surgeon might: Patch holes in a valve.
What should you avoid if you have a heart murmur?
Eat heart-healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, lean meats, and low-fat or non-fat dairy foods. Limit sodium, sugars, and alcohol. If your doctor recommends it, get more exercise.
Do heart murmurs get worse with age?
Likewise, murmurs can get worse if a condition goes untreated or becomes more serious. Your heart is unique, and some heart murmurs can change over time.
Can stress cause a heart murmur?
But can it cause a heart murmur? Although typically not listed as a cause, according to the Better Health Channel, emotional stress can increase blood flow and interfere with the force of your heartbeat. And this can potentially cause a physiologic heart murmur.
When should I be concerned about a heart murmur?
If you have been told you have a heart murmur and you think you have symptoms of heart valve disease, you should: Talk to your doctor and ask if you should see a cardiologist, especially if you've had shortness of breath, palpitations or chest pain.
What are 3 abnormal heart sounds?
Abnormal heart sounds are called heart murmurs....What is an abnormal heart sound (heart murmur)?a rasping.a whooshing.a blowing.
What are the four types of heart murmurs?
What Are the Different Types of Murmurs?Systolic murmur. A heart murmur that occurs during a heart muscle contraction. ... Diastolic murmur. A heart murmur that occurs during heart muscle relaxation between beats. ... Continuous murmur. A heart murmur that occurs throughout the cardiac cycle.
When should I be concerned about a heart murmur?
If you have been told you have a heart murmur and you think you have symptoms of heart valve disease, you should: Talk to your doctor and ask if you should see a cardiologist, especially if you've had shortness of breath, palpitations or chest pain.
Can stress make a heart murmur worse?
But can it cause a heart murmur? Although typically not listed as a cause, according to the Better Health Channel, emotional stress can increase blood flow and interfere with the force of your heartbeat. And this can potentially cause a physiologic heart murmur.
What should you avoid if you have a heart murmur?
Eat heart-healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, lean meats, and low-fat or non-fat dairy foods. Limit sodium, sugars, and alcohol. If your doctor recommends it, get more exercise.
What are the four types of heart murmurs?
What Are the Different Types of Murmurs?Systolic murmur. A heart murmur that occurs during a heart muscle contraction. ... Diastolic murmur. A heart murmur that occurs during heart muscle relaxation between beats. ... Continuous murmur. A heart murmur that occurs throughout the cardiac cycle.
What is the sound of a heart murmur?
Heart murmur. A heart murmur is a swishing sound heard when there is turbulent or abnormal blood flow across the heart valve.
Can a murmur be present without a heart condition?
Murmurs can be present without any medical or heart conditions. Two common examples include:
What causes heart murmurs?
Abnormal heart murmurs in adults are usually related to defective heart valves. Abnormal heart murmurs in adults may be related to:
Why are my heart murmurs not serious?
They are not considered to be serious and may be caused by: Congenital heart disease including valve abnormalities. Holes in the septum of the heart. Heart murmurs related to valve problems should receive follow-up care. Not every murmur is associated with valve disease.
What to do if you murmur a valve?
Any time a murmur is suspected to be associated with a valve problem that may need treatment or repair, it’s wise to look for a qualified health care professional with experience diagnosing and treating your condition. A specialist who regularly manages valve disease can assess your condition and offer treatment options.
Innocent vs. abnormal heart murmur
Harmless heart murmurs, which are known as innocent heart murmurs, are common in babies, young people, and adults. They are usually louder when a person is excited or has a fever or a cold, as increased activity or temperature makes the heart pump more blood.
Risk factors
Other conditions that may cause or contribute to heart murmurs include:
Grading murmurs
For the intensity, doctors use a grading scale of 1–6. Specialists typically evaluate murmurs with a grade of 4 or higher until proven otherwise.
Tests
The doctor may also choose to do some tests to help further diagnose the cause of the heart murmur:
What does it mean when your heart murmurs?
A heart murmur is an unusual sound heard between heartbeats. If your doctor hears a “murmur” or any other abnormal sounds coming from your heart, it may be an early indicator of a serious heart condition.
Why do babies murmur?
An abnormal murmur in a child is due to congenital heart malformations, which means they’re present at birth. It may need to be corrected with surgery.
What does a stethoscope do during a heart checkup?
Outlook. During a checkup, your doctor will use a stethoscope to listen to your heartbeat to determine whether your heart is beating properly and has a normal rhythm. This gives your doctor information concerning the health of your heart. A heart murmur is an unusual sound heard between heartbeats. If your doctor hears a “murmur” ...
Which valve goes from the left ventricle to the pulmonary trunk?
The mitral valve leads from your left atrium to your left ventricle. The pulmonary valve goes from your right ventricle out to your pulmonary trunk. The aortic valve goes from your left ventricle to your aorta. Your pericardial sac surrounds your heart and protects it.
What is the most common abnormal heart sound?
Heart murmurs. The most common abnormal heart sound is a heart murmur. A murmur is a blowing, whooshing, or rasping sound that occurs during your heartbeat. There are two kinds of heart murmurs : innocent (also called physiological) abnormal. An innocent murmur can be found in children and adults.
Why does my heart click?
Heart clicks are caused by problems with your mitral valve.
Why does my left atrium make a rubbing sound?
Rubbing sounds may be heard in people with certain kinds of infections. A rubbing sound is usually caused by an infection in your pericardium (a sac that surrounds your heart) due to a virus, bacteria, or fungus.
Why does my heart murmur?
A murmur could also be a problem with a heart valve. The valves close and open to let blood flow through the heart's two upper chambers -- called the atria -- and two lower chambers -- the ventricles. Valve problems include:
Why do elderly people have heart murmurs?
Aortic sclerosis and stenosis: One in three elderly people have a heart murmur because of the scarring, thickening, or stiffening of their aortic valve. That’s aortic sclerosis. It's usually not dangerous, since the valve can work for years after the murmur starts. It’s sometimes seen in people who have heart disease.
What does it mean when your heart valves are narrow?
But it can lead to the blood flowing backward through the valve, which your doctor may call regurgitation. Mitral valve or aortic stenosis: Your mitral and aortic valves are on the left side of your heart. If they narrow, which doctors call stenosis, your heart has to work harder to pump blood to the rest of your body.
What is the sound of the heart when it beats?
A healthy heart makes a "lub-dub" sound as it beats. The "lub" (systolic sound) happens when part of the heart contracts and the mitral and tricuspid valves close, and the "dub" (diastolic sound) occurs when part of the heart relaxes and the aortic and pulmonic valves close. A heart murmur is an extra sound in the heartbeat -- such as a ''whooshing'' -- that is caused by turbulent blood flow through the heart valves.
Why does my heart make a clicking sound?
It stops blood from flowing back into your upper left chamber. If part of that valve balloons out so it doesn't close properly, you have mitral valve prolapse. This causes a clicking sound as your heart beats. It's fairly common and often not serious.
What is the name of the test that measures the electrical activity of the heart?
Electrocardiogram (EKG), which measures the electrical activity of the heart. Chest X-rays to see if the heart is enlarged due to heart or valve disease. Echocardiography, which uses sound waves to map the heart's structure. On further examination, your doctor may find that the heart murmur is innocent.
How many chambers are there in the heart?
Within the heart, there are four chambers separated by valves that regulate how much blood enters each chamber at any time. Healthy valves also help prevent blood from flowing in the wrong direction in your heart. A healthy heart makes a "lub-dub" sound as it beats.
What can cause a heart murmur?
Murmurs can be heard when the heart contracts (a systolic murmur) or when the heart relaxes (a diastolic murmur). People who have a healthy heart can sometimes have murmurs.
How do doctors tell the difference between different types of murmurs?
Doctors can often tell the difference between different types of murmurs by the sound they make , and can identify murmurs that might be linked to a problem with your heart.
What is a congenital heart condition?
A congenital heart condition is a condition that develops when a baby is in the womb. People with anaemia can have heart murmurs. They are also often heard in pregnant women, because of the unusually large amount of blood flowing through a pregnant woman’s heart.
What does a doctor hear when they listen to your heart?
What is a heart murmur? When a doctor listens to your heart with a stethoscope, they can hear the sounds made by the blood flowing through the heart, and by the valves in your heart opening and closing. These are normal sounds that the doctor would expect to hear.
What to do if you have a heart valve problem?
For example, if there is a severe problem with one of your heart valves, you may need surgery to repair or replace the valve. Your doctor can speak to you about this.
Do you need to treat a heart murmur?
A heart murmur itself doesn’t need treatment , but sometimes if the murmur is caused by a problem with your heart, then the cause of the murmur may need treatment. Your doctor will be able to tell you if you need to have treatment, depending on what the cause of the murmur is and any other symptoms you may have.
Can heart valves cause murmurs?
But there can be more serious problems that may need treatment – for example if the heart valve is narrowed, prolapsed (weak or floppy) or leaking. Other causes of heart murmurs include congenital heart defects, such as a hole in the heart.
