What they are, the different types and what you should do if you believe you may have one.

Heart murmurs- what you need to know

What are heart murmurs?

A normal heartbeat will make a ‘lubb-dupp’ sound. This is what your heart valves sound like when opening and closing.

Heart murmurs are abnormal sounds during your heartbeat cycle. It can sound like a whooshing or swishing. This is blood near or in your heart. • Heart murmurs can be present at birth (congenital) or develop later

in life. A heart murmur isn't a disease, it is a condition — but murmurs may indicate an underlying heart problem.

• Often people have harmless heart murmurs with no symptoms and that do not need treatment.

• A doctor will listen with an electronic stethoscope to determine whether someone has a heart murmur and how severe it is.

The different types of heart murmurs • There are two-1. the innocent and 2. the abnormal. • 1. This is where blood flows rapidly into the heart and is caused by

exercise, pregnancy, fever, anemia or a hyperthyroid.• 60% of small children have heart murmurs that are caused by their

rapid development and often they disappear. • 2. babies are sometimes born with this type of murmur AKA a

congenital heart defect. There are 2 types.• Holes in the chambers of the heart are called septal defects and

depending on the size and location, they differ in severity. This creates abnormal blood flow.

• Heart valve abnormalities are often not discovered until later in a person’s life. Valves can be abnormal when they do not close properly and leak blood or where they don’t allow enough blood through them.

This table depicts the different types of heart murmurs and their severity. When a valve allows too much blood out it is called “Regurgitation.” When a valve does not allow enough blood out, it is called “stenosis.”

HEART MURMURS CAUSED BY CONDITIONS

Abnormal heart murmurs, can also be caused by illnesses and conditions, especially later in life. • Untreated rheumatic fever can cause valves to weaken and cause

murmurs.• Endocarditis is an infection that inflames the heart valves and

walls. This is caused by bacteria entering the body. It normally affects those who are already suffering from heart conditions.

• Valves can harden or thicken. This is called valve calcification and can cause valves to narrow (stenosis) and cause murmurs.

Your medical history determines whether you are at risk of a heart murmur. Several factors may contribute to you developing one later in life such as:• Hypertension• A history of rheumatic fever• Undergoing any radiation treatment • Previous suffering of endocarditis or heart attack• Pulmonary hypertension• Weak heart muscle, called cardiomyopathy

The symptoms of an abnormal heart murmur: • Shortness of breath• Swelling or weight gain• Skin becoming blue, particularly the fingertips and lips• Chronic coughing• Enlarged liver• Enlarged neck veins• Heavy sweating even when not exercising intensely• Chest pain• Dizziness• Fainting

If you think you or your loved one may have a heart murmur, make sure you know the following:• Any medications used • Knowledge of your diet and exercise habits• Family medical history• Any symptoms that have occurred.

Never fear, SensiCardiac Diacoustic Medical Software is the leader in detecting all heart murmurs efficiently & accurately. All your doctor has to do is place a stethoscope to your chest, record the sounds and download them into their laptop or tablet and it is now even available on iPhone.

This means no pain, no discomfort and peace of mind. Always make sure your doctor or specialist diagnoses you using

SensiCardiac software.

Image credit • carsontahoe.wordpress.com • video.ee.ntu.edu.tw• www.medicalappjournal.com