W hen the heart beats the doctor can hear heart sounds or tones. These are sounds the heart valves make as they close. The flow of blood through the valves is usually very quiet or silent. When this flow of blood makes sound a murmur is heard. Most heart murmurs are benign or not serious medical problems.
Some murmurs are serious and require special evaluation by a cardiologist.
The cardiologist may order a cardiac echo to evaluate the heart muscle and valves. Some murmurs will lead your doctor to recommend that antibiotics be taken before dental and other procedures to prevent infection or endocarditis. It can help compensate for a defective natural pacemaker or blocked electrical pathways in the heart. A pacemaker uses batteries to send electrical impulses to your heart to help it pump properly. An electrode is placed next to your heart wall and small electrical charges travel through the wire to your heart.