Evening star., 1960-01-13

How to
STOP KILLING
YOURSELF
DIAGNOSIS of Heart Murmur
By DR.. PETER J. sTEINcRoHk

Diagnosis of Hec
IF YOU ASK ME to tell
you all about your heart
murmur by having me listen
to your heart with a stetho-
scope, I doubt that would
have all the information /
need.
Often I receive letters like
the following: Dear DR..
Steincrohn: I took my
12-year-old daughter to a
doctor the other day to
check on a heart murmur we
know she's had for a year or
so. He listened to it for no
more than a minute with his
stethoscope and told me that
everything was all right, that
we have nothing to worry
about.
But I'm not convinced al
though, naturally, hope he's
right. How can a doctor tell
a functional from an organic
murmur after such an exam
ination?" Mrs. L. L., Mem
phis, Tenn.
YEARS AGO WE HAD no
other choice. 1t all rested
with the stethoscope. But
now we know better. Only a
complete investigation tells
the true story.
A careful history is impor-
tant. Past history of rheu-
matte fever, frequent sore
throats. etc, makes us think
of the possibility that the
murmur is organic and due
to rheumatic heart disease.
Or a history of the child
having been a blue baby"
and a loud murmur discov-
cred after birth. alerts us to
the possibility of congenital
heart disease. Likewise, a
history Of syphilis makes us
suspicious of a soft, blowing
murmur in the aortic region.
Whenever there's a ques-
ton of real heart disease, you
and your doctor had better
have a long talk about your
past illnesses.
With the history over. he
will listen with the stetho-
scope. But, as said, that
isn't all.
He will order X-rays of
the heart. Its size and shape
gives us more than a hint
Of underlying heart disease.
Then, he will take electro
cardiograms. Various strain
patterns" also tell us much.
In questionable cases the
doctor will send you to a
heart specialist who knows
how to perform heart cathe-
terizations directing plastic
tube into heart). In some
really obscure con ditionS.
there is a newer method of
injecting dyes into the blood
. stream and then taking pic
lures of the heart.
I hope you see. Mrs. L. L.,
that the modern heart ex-
animation is not a cut-and-
dried thing like Just "a lay
ing on of the stethoscope."
It's true that not every
patient with a murmur has
to undergo a formidable
diagnostic regime. But if you
want to rest easy" with the
truth about your daughters
condition, I suppose you
should come right out with
it and talk with your doctor.
I am sure that if he knows
you are still worried. he will
be glad to call in another
doctor who is especially in
terested in heart diagnosis.
Recently, three different
doctors said my pulse rate is
SO. I have checked my pulse
and many times it is only
So" writes Mrs. B. D., of
Indianapolis. rs that harm
full? Can anything be given
to speed it up? My doctors
have told me my heart is all
right. Have 1 got anything
to worry about?"
STOP TAKING your pulse.
Believe your doctors. You al
ready have had 3 reassuring
opinions. Don't jump on the
medical merry-go-round and
become dizzy with medical
suggestions.
Why try to speed up your
heart? Did you know that
worlds records in distance
races are often broken by
runners whose heart beats
average somewhere between
45-55 beats per minute?
Be thankful you have a
nice, slow heart beat. Resolve
to drop a dollar bill into your
local Heart Fund collection
box every time you catch
ln.NeEN RAn ear nM