Heart Murmurs
By: Robert NamTotal Views: 183, Word Count: 715,
Heart murmur is a medical term used to describe the sound made by blood, while circulating through the heart chambers or valves. It produces a swishing and whistling sound. Normally, doctor uses a tool called stethoscope to listen to this sound.
Murmur are usually present, where there is some type of defect in heart valve. Doctor performs different test, according to the kind of problem. Most of the time, heart murmur remains normal and does not indicate any signs of heart problems.
Types of Heart Murmurs
Your physician will evaluate the heart murmur based on several factors. Heart Murmurs can be analyzed and examined on the basis of loudness, pitch, duration and intensity. Several types of heart murmurs are explained below.
Systolic Heart Murmur: - This murmur is caused due to the contraction of the heart because of the flow of blood from narrowed vessel or irregular valve. This heart murmur can be divided into two type i.e. regurgitant murmurs and ejection murmurs.
Diastolic Heart Murmur: - This murmur is caused during the relaxation period of heart muscles between the beats. This sound or murmur occurs due to the narrowing of the mitral valves, or regurgitation of pulmonary valves.
Continuous Heart Murmur: - This heart murmur occurs during the cardiac cycle.
Signs and Symptoms of Heart Murmurs: - Usually, heart murmurs are harmless. Some people who have heart murmurs have a signs or symptoms of heart diseases or heart problems. Signs and symptoms of heart murmurs are dependent on the severity of the problem. The signs and symptoms I of heart murmur include.
- Poor eating and abnormal growth of infant
- Shortness of breath
- Blue color of skin .i.e. on fingertips and inside the mouth
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Tired feeling
- Excessive sweating
Causes of Heart Murmurs: - Heart murmurs are caused due to different factors or diseases. It includes.
- Defective heart valves
- Holes in the heart walls i.e. ventricular septal defect or atrial septal defect
- Due to surgical repair of congenital heart defects
- Anemia
- Fever
Diagnosis of Heart Murmurs: - Diagnosis of heart murmur is essential for one to determine. It can be examined from the following test.
1. Echocardiography
2. Chest X-ray
3. ECG
4. Cardiac Catheterization
Treatments and Drugs for the Heart Murmurs: - An innocent heart murmur (harmless murmurs) does not require any treatment because your heart is normal at that period of time. Usually, an innocent murmur causes due to fever or hyperthyroidism, the murmur gets cured when the condition is treated.
However, in case of abnormal heart murmur treatment is required. Treatment is dependent on the severity of the heart problem.
Medication for Heart Murmurs: - The medication, which your doctor will prescribe, is dependent on the specific heart problems.
- Digoxin, to help your heart squeeze harder
- Anticoagulants to prevent blood clots
- Diuretics to remove excess fluids from the body
- Beta blocker to lower your blood pressure
- Statins to lower your cholesterol level
Surgery for Heart Murmur: - Normally, surgery depends on the individual heart problem. Open- heart surgery is one of the options for heart murmurs. Some times, causes of heart murmur can be treated using cardiac catheterization techniques.
If your heart murmur is a serious concern then you should immediately consult your doctor. He will provide you the best course of treatment to correct the problem of heart murmur. So go ahead, since the heart murmur is a treatable problem.
About the Author
Dr. Robert Nam is a well known heart specialist and has done postgraduate training in cardiology at the national heart hospital, the London chest hospital and UCL hospital, London. He was also engaged in research at the national heart and lung institute. Nowadays he is working as a consultant cardiologist at UCL hospital, London.
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