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Introduction
A heart
murmur is an abnormal, extra sound during the
heartbeat cycle made by blood moving through the heart
and its valves. It is detected by the physician's
examination using a stethoscope.
Causes
Innocent heart murmurs are caused by blood flowing
faster than normal through the chambers and valves of
the heart or the blood vessels near the heart.
Sometimes anxiety, stress, fever, anemia, overactive
thyroid, and pregnancy will cause innocent murmurs
that can be heard by a physician using a stethoscope.
Heart murmurs are
common in children and can also result from heart or
valve defects. Nearly two thirds of heart murmurs in
children are produced by a normal heart and are
harmless. This type of heart murmur is usually called
an "innocent" heart murmur.
Heart murmurs can be present at birth or develop
later in life. Murmurs are common in infants and
children. Innocent heart murmurs are usually very
faint, intermittent, and occur in a small area of the
chest. They can disappear and reappear from one
examination to the next. Most innocent murmurs
disappear by adulthood, but some adults may still have
them.
Symptoms
The symptoms of heart
murmurs differ depending on the cause of the heart
murmur. Innocent heart murmurs and those which do not
impair the function of the heart have no symptoms.
Murmurs that are due to severe abnormalities of a
heart valve may cause unexplained breathlessness,
fatigue, or fainting, dizziness, chest pains and
heart palpitations.
Treatment An innocent heart murmur generally doesn't require
treatment because the heart is normal. Those due to
valvular defects may require antibiotics to prevent
infection during certain surgical or dental
procedures.
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