HEART MURMURS

Heart murmurs are a subject that at present are upmost in my thoughts. Just recently my daughter has been told that she may have a heart murmur. An echocardiogram will be done in two weeks to confirm or refute the doctor's suspicion, and should she have one, what type. Of course upon hearing this I searched the internet to learn all I could on the subject. Heart murmurs can occur at any age and for many reasons.

What is a Heart Murmur?

A heart murmur is a swishing or a whistling sound that can be heard by the doctor while listening through their stethoscope. If the doctor detects a murmur he/she may order further test to confirm his/her diagnosis. Other tests can include an echocardiogram, an electrocardiogram, a chest X-ray or a cardiac catheterization. A heart murmur is not a disease but a signal to alert you and your doctor to check to see if there is any need for concern. While some murmurs are harmless, others are not.

What Causes Heart Murmurs?

It is important to note that most heart murmurs are normal and having one does not mean that there is any defect in the heart. There can be many different causes for heart murmurs. They can be caused by a heart attack, high blood pressure, rheumatic fever, fevers in general, anemia, an overactive thyroid, and pregnancy. My daughter gave birth June of 09, and had a difficult pregnancy. She was also anemic throughout the pregnancy. If the doctor's suspicion is correct pregnancy and anemia may have played a role the suspected murmur.

Types of Heart Murmurs

There are two types of heart murmurs: innocent and abnormal murmurs. Someone with an innocent murmur has a normal heart; they are most common in newborns and children but innocent murmurs can also be found in adults. Innocent heart murmurs can disappear over time or persist throughout one's life without ever causing health problems. This type of murmur can be caused by rapid blood flow, physical activity or exercise, pregnancy, fever, anemia, and an overactive thyroid.

Abnormal heart murmurs are more serious and may result from a heart problem. Common causes for this type of murmur in children are congenital heart disease . Heart valve abnormalities are not always detected at birth although they are present at that time; often they go undiscovered until later in life. Congenital defects from which murmurs can arise include: a hole in the heart, and heart valve abnormalities. Other abnormal murmurs come from infections and conditions that damage the structures of the heart and are found in older children and adults. They include rheumatic fever, endocarditis, valve calcification and mitral valve prolapsem.

Treatment for Heart Murmurs

Innocent murmurs don't generally require treatment because there is nothing wrong with the heart. If the innocent murmur resulted from a condition, once the underlying condition is treated the murmur will go away on its own.

Treatment for an abnormal heart murmurs is not always necessary your doctor may just want to monitor the condition. Should that not be the case, treatment could be medications or surgery.

At the close of this article my grandson is now four months old. His last checkup was at the beginning of this week; he too is suspected of having a murmur. His doctor is calling it an innocent murmur but has referred him to a children's cardiologist for further test.