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HowToPreventHeartDisease.com |
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Is Heart Murmur A Kind Of Heart Disease? A heart murmur is an extra or abnormal sound that is heard during cardiac auscultation when doctor listens to the heart with a stethoscope. Murmurs sometimes sound like a whooshing or swishing noise. A murmur can occur in a normal heart, or it may indicate some problem within the heart. Most heart murmurs are completely harmless, and do not cause noticeable effects on its own. Often, a heart murmur happens when blood flows faster through the heart, for example in a person who is anxious, has just finished exercising, has a high fever, or has severe anemia. About 10 percent of adults, and 30 percent of children who are between 3 and 7 years old have a harmless murmur produced by a normal heart. This type of murmur is also called an innocent murmur, or it may be referred to as functional or physiologic murmurs. Innocent heart murmurs are common among children and they are usually harmless. Most innocent murmurs disappear when a child reaches adulthood, but some adults still have them. Innocent heart murmur may be triggered by conditions, which include physical activity or exercise; pregnancy; fever; not having enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your body tissues (anemia); too much thyroid hormone in your body (hyperthyroidism); and phases of rapid growth, such as adolescence. Innocent heart murmurs may disappear over time, or they may last your entire life without ever causing further health problems. On the other hand, a heart murmur may indicate a structural abnormality of a heart valve or heart chamber, or it may be because of an abnormal connection between 2 parts of the heart. It can be a sign of heart disease. Some abnormalities of the heart that create heart murmurs may be caused by congenital heart problems, especially among children. Congenital means the disorder was present at birth. Congenital heart problems include septal defects (holes in the heart); cardiac shunts (occur when there is an abnormal blood flow between the heart chambers or blood vessels); heart valve problems present from birth (valves that do not allow enough blood through them or those that do not close properly and leak).
For older children and adults, causes of abnormal heart murmurs may include infections and conditions that damage the structures of the heart. For example, valve calcification (hardening or thickening of valves can occur as one ages); stenotic (valves becomes narrowed); endocarditis (inflammation and infection of the heart valves and endocardium); and rheumatic fever (permanently affect the heart valves and interfere with normal blood flow through the heart). People with an innocent heart murmur usually do not have any other signs or symptoms. But an abnormal heart murmur may cause signs and symptoms like skin that appears blue, especially on the fingertips and lips; swelling or sudden weight gain; shortness of breath; chronic cough; enlarged liver; enlarged neck veins; heavy sweating with little or no activity; chest pain; dizziness; and fainting. When a heart murmur is detected, the doctor will listen to the loudness, location and timing of the murmur to find out whether it is harmless or a sign of a more serious condition. If the doctor thinks that one may have a more serious condition, a cardiologist (doctor who specializes in the heart) will be recommended. The cardiologist may have to do tests using an electrocardiogram (EKG) or echocardiogram to look for heart rhythm or structural problems. Should a serious cause of the heart murmur be confirmed, the patient may be given medical treatment or ask to undergo cardiac catheterization or surgical treatment, which can often correct the problem and prevent complications. There is no need to treat innocent heart murmurs. Other types of murmurs that do not cause any symptoms also may not require any treatment, though the doctor should monitor them regularly. When treatment is required, it varies depending on the cause of the murmur. For instance, congenital heart disease might need to be corrected surgically depending on the severity. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers and/or diuretics may be used to treat symptoms arising from a tight or leaky heart valve, though severe cases might be corrected surgically. Date: December 3, 2020
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