Heart Murmur
What Is a Heart Murmur?
A heart murmur is an extra or unusual sound heard during your heartbeat. Murmurs range from very faint to very loud and sometimes sound like a whooshing or swishing noise. Normal heartbeat sounds—"lub-DUPP" or "lub-DUB"—are the valves closing as blood moves through the heart. (Go to the How the Heart Works section for more information about how a normal heart works.) A heart murmur is not a disease; it is a sound that the doctor hears with a stethoscope. It may be normal, or it could be a sign that something may be wrong. Most heart murmurs are harmless. Some are signs of heart problems, especially if other signs or symptoms of a heart problem are present.
Other Names for Heart Murmur
- Innocent Heart Murmurs
- Normal heart murmurs
- Benign heart murmurs
- Functional heart murmurs
- Physiologic heart murmurs
- Still's murmur
- Flow murmur
- Abnormal Heart Murmurs
- Pathologic heart murmurs
Most people with heart murmurs do not have any other signs and symptoms of a heart problem. The murmur is usually innocent (harmless). Some people with heart murmurs do have signs and symptoms of a heart problem. The signs and symptoms may include:
- Blue coloring of the skin, especially on the fingertips and inside the mouth
- Poor eating and failure to grow normally (in infants)
- Fast breathing
- Excessive sweating
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- Fainting
- Fatigue (feeling very tired)
How Are Heart Murmurs Treated?
Innocent Murmurs
Healthy children with innocent murmurs do not need treatment because they have a normal heart. If your child has an innocent murmur, alert your pediatrician during regular checkups. Pregnant women with innocent murmurs due to increased blood volume also do not need treatment. If you have an innocent murmur due to an illness or condition such as anemia, hyperthyroidism, or fever, the murmur will go away once the illness or condition is treated.
Abnormal Murmurs
The treatment for heart problems that cause abnormal murmurs varies depending on the specific heart problem. The treatment of congenital heart defects is based on the type and severity of the heart defect or defects causing the murmur. Treatment may include medicine or surgery. Children with congenital heart defects are treated by doctors who specialize in treating children's heart problems (pediatric cardiologists). See Congenital Heart Defects for more information. The treatment of heart problems caused by infection or disease depends on the type and severity of the damage to the heart. The treatment may include medicine or surgery.
Credit: National Institute of Health.