Question: What is (are) Heart Murmur ?
Answer: A heart murmur is an extra or unusual sound heard during a heartbeat. Murmurs range from very faint to very loud. Sometimes they sound like a whooshing or swishing noise. Normal heartbeats make a "lub-DUPP" or "lub-DUB" sound. This is the sound of the heart valves closing as blood moves through the heart. Doctors can hear these sounds and heart murmurs using a stethoscope. Overview The two types of heart murmurs are innocent (harmless) and abnormal. Innocent heart murmurs aren't caused by heart problems. These murmurs are common in healthy children. Many children will have heart murmurs heard by their doctors at some point in their lives. People who have abnormal heart murmurs may have signs or symptoms of heart problems. Most abnormal murmurs in children are caused by congenital (kon-JEN-ih-tal) heart defects. These defects are problems with the heart's structure that are present at birth. In adults, abnormal heart murmurs most often are caused by acquired heart valve disease. This is heart valve disease that develops as the result of another condition. Infections, diseases, and aging can cause heart valve disease. Outlook A heart murmur isn't a disease, and most murmurs are harmless. Innocent murmurs don't cause symptoms. Having one doesn't require you to limit your physical activity or do anything else special. Although you may have an innocent murmur throughout your life, you won't need treatment for it. The outlook and treatment for abnormal heart murmurs depend on the type and severity of the heart problem causing them.
Source: NHLBI

Question: What causes Heart Murmur ?
Answer: Innocent Heart Murmurs Why some people have innocent heart murmurs and others do not isn't known. Innocent murmurs are simply sounds made by blood flowing through the heart's chambers and valves, or through blood vessels near the heart. Extra blood flow through the heart also may cause innocent heart murmurs. After childhood, the most common cause of extra blood flow through the heart is pregnancy. This is because during pregnancy, women's bodies make extra blood. Most heart murmurs that occur in pregnant women are innocent. Abnormal Heart Murmurs Congenital heart defects or acquired heart valve disease often are the cause of abnormal heart murmurs. Congenital Heart Defects Congenital heart defects are the most common cause of abnormal heart murmurs in children. These defects are problems with the heart's structure that are present at birth. They change the normal flow of blood through the heart. Congenital heart defects can involve the interior walls of the heart, the valves inside the heart, or the arteries and veins that carry blood to and from the heart. Some babies are born with more than one heart defect. Heart valve problems, septal defects (also called holes in the heart), and diseases of the heart muscle such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are common heart defects that cause abnormal heart murmurs. Examples of valve problems are narrow valves that limit blood flow or leaky valves that don't close properly. Septal defects are holes in the wall that separates the right and left sides of the heart. This wall is called the septum. A hole in the septum between the heart's two upper chambers is called an atrial septal defect. A hole in the septum between the heart's two lower chambers is called a ventricular septal defect. Hypertrophic (hi-per-TROF-ik) cardiomyopathy (kar-de-o-mi-OP-ah-thee) (HCM) occurs if heart muscle cells enlarge and cause the walls of the ventricles (usually the left ventricle) to thicken. The thickening may block blood flow out of the ventricle. If a blockage occurs, the ventricle must work hard to pump blood to the body. HCM also can affect the hearts mitral valve, causing blood to leak backward through the valve. Heart Defects That Can Cause Abnormal Heart Murmurs For more information, go to the Health Topics Congenital Heart Defects article. Acquired Heart Valve Disease Acquired heart valve disease often is the cause of abnormal heart murmurs in adults. This is heart valve disease that develops as the result of another condition. Many conditions can cause heart valve disease. Examples include heart conditions and other disorders, age-related changes, rheumatic (ru-MAT-ik) fever, and infections. Heart conditions and other disorders. Certain conditions can stretch and distort the heart valves, such as: Damage and scar tissue from a heart attack or injury to the heart. Advanced high blood pressure and heart failure. These conditions can enlarge the heart or its main arteries. Age-related changes. As you get older, calcium deposits or other deposits may form on your heart valves. These deposits stiffen and thicken the valve flaps and limit blood flow. This stiffening and thickening of the valve is called sclerosis (skle-RO-sis). Rheumatic fever. The bacteria that cause strep throat, scarlet fever, and, in some cases, impetigo (im-peh-TI-go) also can cause rheumatic fever. This serious illness can develop if you have an untreated or not fully treated streptococcal (strep) infection. Rheumatic fever can damage and scar the heart valves. The symptoms of this heart valve damage often don't occur until many years after recovery from rheumatic fever. Today, most people who have strep infections are treated with antibiotics before rheumatic fever develops. It's very important to take all of the antibiotics your doctor prescribes for strep throat, even if you feel better before the medicine is gone. Infections. Common germs that enter the bloodstream and get carried to the heart can sometimes infect the inner surface of the heart, including the heart valves. This rare but sometimes life-threatening infection is called infective endocarditis (EN-do-kar-DI-tis), or IE. IE is more likely to develop in people who already have abnormal blood flow through a heart valve because of heart valve disease. The abnormal blood flow causes blood clots to form on the surface of the valve. The blood clots make it easier for germs to attach to and infect the valve. IE can worsen existing heart valve disease. Other Causes Some heart murmurs occur because of an illness outside of the heart. The heart is normal, but an illness or condition can cause blood flow that's faster than normal. Examples of this type of illness include fever, anemia (uh-NEE-me-eh), and hyperthyroidism. Anemia is a condition in which the body has a lower than normal number of red blood cells. Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which the body has too much thyroid hormone.
Source: NHLBI

Question: What are the symptoms of Heart Murmur ?
Answer: People who have innocent (harmless) heart murmurs don't have any signs or symptoms other than the murmur itself. This is because innocent heart murmurs aren't caused by heart problems. People who have abnormal heart murmurs may have signs or symptoms of the heart problems causing the murmurs. These signs and symptoms may include: Poor eating and failure to grow normally (in infants) Shortness of breath, which may occur only with physical exertion Excessive sweating with minimal or no exertion Chest pain Dizziness or fainting A bluish color on the skin, especially on the fingertips and lips Chronic cough Swelling or sudden weight gain Enlarged liver Enlarged neck veins Signs and symptoms depend on the problem causing the heart murmur and its severity.
Source: NHLBI

Question: How to diagnose Heart Murmur ?
Answer: Doctors use a stethoscope to listen to heart sounds and hear heart murmurs. They may detect heart murmurs during routine checkups or while checking for another condition. If a congenital heart defect causes a murmur, it's often heard at birth or during infancy. Abnormal heart murmurs caused by other heart problems can be heard in patients of any age. Specialists Involved Primary care doctors usually refer people who have abnormal heart murmurs to cardiologists or pediatric cardiologists for further care and testing. Cardiologists are doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating heart problems in adults. Pediatric cardiologists specialize in diagnosing and treating heart problems in children. Physical Exam Your doctor will carefully listen to your heart or your child's heart with a stethoscope to find out whether a murmur is innocent or abnormal. He or she will listen to the loudness, location, and timing of the murmur. This will help your doctor diagnose the cause of the murmur. Your doctor also may: Ask about your medical and family histories. Do a complete physical exam. He or she will look for signs of illness or physical problems. For example, your doctor may look for a bluish color on your skin. In infants, doctors may look for delayed growth and feeding problems. Ask about your symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath (especially with physical exertion), dizziness, or fainting. Evaluating Heart Murmurs When evaluating a heart murmur, your doctor will pay attention to many things, such as: How faint or loud the sound is. Your doctor will grade the murmur on a scale of 1 to 6 (1 is very faint and 6 is very loud). When the sound occurs in the cycle of the heartbeat. Where the sound is heard in the chest and whether it also can be heard in the neck or back. Whether the sound has a high, medium, or low pitch. How long the sound lasts. How breathing, physical activity, or a change in body position affects the sound. Diagnostic Tests and Procedures If your doctor thinks you or your child has an abnormal heart murmur, he or she may recommend one or more of the following tests. Chest X Ray A chest x ray is a painless test that creates pictures of the structures inside your chest, such as your heart, lungs, and blood vessels. This test is done to find the cause of symptoms, such as shortness of breath and chest pain. EKG An EKG (electrocardiogram) is a simple test that detects and records the heart's electrical activity. An EKG shows how fast the heart is beating and its rhythm (steady or irregular). An EKG also records the strength and timing of electrical signals as they pass through each part of the heart. This test is used to detect and locate the source of heart problems. The results from an EKG also may be used to rule out certain heart problems. Echocardiography Echocardiography (EK-o-kar-de-OG-ra-fee), or echo, is a painless test that uses sound waves to create pictures of your heart. The test shows the size and shape of your heart and how well your heart's chambers and valves are working. Echo also can show areas of poor blood flow to the heart, areas of heart muscle that aren't contracting normally, and previous injury to the heart muscle caused by poor blood flow. There are several types of echo, including a stress echo. This test is done both before and after a stress test. During this test, you exercise to make your heart work hard and beat fast. If you cant exercise, you may be given medicine to make your heart work hard and beat fast. Echo is used to take pictures of your heart before you exercise and as soon as you finish. Stress echo shows whether you have decreased blood flow to your heart (a sign of coronary heart disease).
Source: NHLBI

Question: What are the treatments for Heart Murmur ?
Answer: A heart murmur isn't a disease. It's an extra or unusual sound heard during the heartbeat. Thus, murmurs themselves don't require treatment. However, if an underlying condition is causing a heart murmur, your doctor may recommend treatment for that condition. Innocent (Harmless) Heart Murmurs Healthy children who have innocent (harmless) heart murmurs don't need treatment. Their heart murmurs aren't caused by heart problems or other conditions. Pregnant women who have innocent heart murmurs due to extra blood volume also don't need treatment. Their heart murmurs should go away after pregnancy. Abnormal Heart Murmurs If you or your child has an abnormal heart murmur, your doctor will recommend treatment for the disease or condition causing the murmur. Some medical conditions, such as anemia or hyperthyroidism, can cause heart murmurs that aren't related to heart disease. Treating these conditions should make the heart murmur go away. If a congenital heart defect is causing a heart murmur, treatment will depend on the type and severity of the defect. Treatment may include medicines or surgery. For more information about treatments for congenital heart defects, go to the Health Topics Congenital Heart Defects article. If acquired heart valve disease is causing a heart murmur, treatment usually will depend on the type, amount, and severity of the disease. Currently, no medicines can cure heart valve disease. However, lifestyle changes and medicines can treat symptoms and help delay complications. Eventually, though, you may need surgery to repair or replace a faulty heart valve. For more information about treatments for heart valve disease, go to the Health Topics Heart Valve Disease article.
Source: NHLBI