A heart murmur is an additional sound produced by the blood as it drifts through the heart. The doctor utilizes a stethoscope to hear the heartbeat. Once a heart murmur is detected, the doctor hears an extra swishing or whooshing sound along with the heartbeat.
Remember that a heart murmur is quite common especially among children and usually not dangerous. It is important to note that the normal murmurs are called as “innocent” murmurs. Adults can also have “innocent” murmurs as well, usually among adults over 50 years old.
What are the possible causes?
Abnormal murmurs are indications of a heart problem. Among children, the abnormal heart murmurs are typically triggered by issues they are born with such as a heart valve that does not function properly or a hole in the wall in between 2 heart chambers.
Among adults, the abnormal heart murmurs are often triggered by damaged heart valves. The heart valves function as one-way gates that allow the flow of blood in one direction between the heart chambers as well as in and out of the heart.
Management of a heart murmur
If an individual has an innocent heart murmur, treatment is not required since the heart is normal.
If an abnormal murmur is present, the treatment is based on the heart problem responsible for the murmur and might include medications or surgery. Remember that not all cases require treatment. If an abnormal murmur is present without any symptoms, the doctor might require monitoring of the condition using an echocardiogram.
If symptoms are present, medications are required to lower down the blood pressure and reduce the workload on the heart. Surgery might be required to replace a valve or fix a heart defect.
Prevention
In most cases of heart murmurs, they are normal and there is nothing you can do to prevent them. Remember that they just occur.
Most cases of abnormal murmurs could not be prevented and usually triggered by infections or conditions that runs in families.
It is vital to take good care of the heart with a healthy lifestyle which includes eating healthy food and exercise regularly. It is recommended to work with a doctor to control the blood pressure and cholesterol level. If smoking, it is recommended to stop.