What is a Heart murmur?
Blood turbulence in or near the heart causes murmurs. Using a stethoscope, your doctor will be able to hear these whooshing or swishing murmur sounds. When your heart valves are shutting, a regular heartbeat creates two sounds that sound like “lubb-dupp.” It is possible to have heart murmurs from birth (congenital) or to develop them later in life.
When a person hears a murmur in their heart, it can be harmless (innocent). An innocent heart murmur symptoms are not an indication of heart disease and do not necessitate medical intervention. Detection of abnormal cardiac murmurs necessitates further investigation. Your abnormal heart murmur will be treated by addressing the underlying cause. Stethoscopes are used to listen to your heart during a medical examination. Heart valves make sounds as blood moves through your heart. The doctor listens for these sounds at various points on your chest. Along with various heart murmur symptoms, it also helps the doctor to identify the type of cardiac murmur.
- A normal heart murmur
A normal heartbeat consists of two distinct sounds: lub-dub. First, the mitral and tricuspid valves open and close, making a pulsating sound. The aortic and pulmonic valves close in the second heart sound. - Heartbeat or heart murmur
An irregular or turbulent blood flow through the heart valve causes a swishing sound known as a heart murmur. - Innocent murmurs
With no underlying medical problem, murmurs can be present. Two of the most common are Childhood murmurs, Pregnancy.
Heart murmur causes and types
There’s a chance you’ll hear a murmur in your heart. This can be heard during the heart’s normal activity of blood supply.
- Filling the heart with blood is a good sign (diastolic murmur)
- In a state of emptying blood from the heart (systolic murmur)
- From one beat to the next (continuous murmur)
Innocent or abnormal Heart murmur causes
1. Innocent heart murmur- There is nothing wrong with a person’s heart if their murmur is harmless. In babies and children, this form of murmur is prevalent.
It is possible to detect a murmur in the heart when blood flows more quickly than normal. Several medical conditions might result in an unintentional cardiac murmur, including exercising one’s body, Pregnancy, and Fever. Being unable to supply your body’s tissues with enough oxygen because of a lack of healthy red blood cells (anaemia), Thyroid hormone levels are too high (hyperthyroidism), Adolescence and other periods of fast growth. For the most part, if you have a cardiac murmur that is harmless, it will go away on its own over time.
2. Abnormal heart murmur- The most common heart murmur causes in adults is an issue with the heart valves. When a child has an abnormal heart murmur, it is most likely due to cardiac structural abnormalities (congenital heart defects). Several different birth abnormalities can be heart murmur causes.
- Holes in the psyche: Heart holes, or septal defects, can be life-threatening, depending on the size of the hole and where it’s located.
- Shunts for the heart: Because of improper blood flow between the heart chambers or arteries, heart murmurs may arise as a result. For most people, the heart valves in their hearts fail at birth. Some examples include stenotic valves that don’t allow enough blood to flow through them, as well as faulty valves that don’t seal properly and leak (regurgitation). Illnesses and conditions that damage the heart’s architecture are common causes of abnormal heart murmur in adults and children over the age of two. For instance:
- Calcification of the valves is an issue: It’s possible to develop mitral stenosis and aortic valve stenosis as you become older. Your heart’s valves may become stenotic, resulting in murmurs.
- Endocarditis: Heart and valve infections are often caused by bacteria from other parts of the body, such as the mouth, spreading through the bloodstream and becoming lodged in the heart and valves. Endocarditis can damage or destroy your heart valves if it is not treated promptly. People with heart valve issues are more likely to develop this disorder.
- Rheumatoid arthritis: However uncommon in the United States, Rheumatic Fever, which occurs when you don’t obtain timely or thorough treatment for your strep throat infection, can be quite dangerous. The heart valves can be permanently damaged, and this can cause problems with the normal flow of blood through the heart.
Significance of the heart murmur symptoms and signs
Why do you hear a heart murmur?
People are usually ignorant of their heartbeats, however, they do become aware following heart murmur symptoms. This could be because their heart is beating excessively loudly, slowly, or erratically. A sensation that your heart is racing, hammering, fluttering, or skipping a beat, which can be uncomfortable but are seldom a heart murmur symptom.
One of the most prevalent causes of a heart murmur is a condition known as valvular heart disease.
Blood flow is restricted by a narrow, tight, and stiff valve called stenosis. A valve that does not close entirely, permitting reverse flow is known as having valve regurgitation (a “leaky” valve). The abnormal cardiac sound is caused by aberrant valve alterations (murmur).
Heart murmurs can also be caused by:
- Myocardial hypertrophy
- The septal defect
Reasons for heart murmurs that aren’t related to the heart itself. Several medical diseases can induce murmurs in the heart other than valvular heart disease, including:
Reasons for heart murmurs that aren’t related to the heart itself. Several medical diseases can induce murmurs in the heart other than valvular heart disease, including:
- Anaemia
- Hyperthyroidism
If you have a harmless heart murmur, you are unlikely to experience any further heart murmur symptoms or indicators.
When an aberrant cardiac murmur is present, it might lead to the following heart murmur symptoms: Skin that seems to be bluish, particularly on the hands and lips, Irritation or a rapid rise in body weight, a feeling of breathlessness, Coughing fits, Hepatitis C, Neck veins that have swelled in size. Failure to thrive and grow normally in newborns is a heart murmur symptom of anorexia. Sweating profusely although doing little or nothing, Heartache, Dizziness, and Fainting are also some heart murmur symptoms.
Heart murmur treatment
If your heart murmur symptoms indicate that the cardiac murmur is of an innocent type then don’t necessitate medical attention because the heart is otherwise healthy. When a sickness, such as a fever or an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), causes an innocent murmur, the ailment will be treated and the murmur will disappear. Over time, your doctor regularly monitors an abnormal heart murmur. Murmurs can be treated with medicine or surgery, depending on the heart murmur symptoms and causes.
Medications for cardiac murmur
Your doctor will prescribe a drug based on the exact cardiac condition you have. Some of the medications that your doctor may prescribe to you include:
- A blood thinner (anticoagulant). – An anti-clotting medication like this one can help prevent strokes from occurring in the heart. Aspirin, warfarin (Jantoven), or clopidogrel may be prescribed by your doctor (Plavix). Direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) may also be administered in some cases. Eliquis (Eliquis), Xarelto (Xarelto), and others are examples of anticoagulants.
- Supplements for hydration (diuretics).- Diuretics can help treat high blood pressure and other disorders that can worsen a heart murmur, such as excess fluid in the circulation.
- Inhibitors of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE).- Blood pressure is lowered by ACE inhibitors. Heart murmurs can be exacerbated by high blood pressure, which can exacerbate the underlying illness.
- Statins.- Helps decrease cholesterol levels by using statins. Some heart valve disorders, such as heart murmurs, appear to be made worse by excessive cholesterol.
Drugs that impede the action of beta-adrenergic receptor Blood pressure and heart rate are lowered as a result of taking these medications. Some sorts of heart valve disorders are treated with them. Preventing bacteria from entering the heart’s lining was a common recommendation made by doctors for patients with abnormal heart murmurs before they visited the dentist or underwent heart surgery (infective endocarditis). Antibiotics are no longer recommended for patients unless they have an artificial heart valve, a history of heart valve infection, or a congenital heart abnormality that raises their risk of infective endocarditis.
FAQ’s
Sometimes it’s harmless and doesn’t cause any problems. But in some cases, it can be a sign of a heart problem. It’s essential to see a doctor to find out the cause of the murmur and if it needs treatment.
A heart murmur itself isn’t something that needs to be cured because it’s just a sound. However, the underlying cause of the murmur may need treatment. Depending on what’s causing the murmur, it might be possible to treat or manage the condition effectively.
Preventing a heart murmur often involves taking care of your heart health. This includes eating a healthy diet, staying active, managing stress, avoiding smoking, and getting regular check-ups with your doctor. These habits can help reduce the risk of developing conditions that could lead to a heart murmur.
Treatment for a heart murmur depends on its cause. If the murmur is due to an underlying heart condition, treatment may involve medication, lifestyle changes, or, in some cases, surgery. Your doctor will determine the best course of action based on the cause and severity of the murmur.
Heart murmurs can be caused by different things. Valve problems, like damage or irregularities in the heart valves, can make blood flow turbulently, causing a murmur. Holes in the heart, called septal defects, can also lead to abnormal blood flow and murmurs. Conditions that boost blood flow through the heart, such as anaemia or hyperthyroidism, can sometimes result in murmurs too.
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