Health Life Media

A Healthier You For A Better Tomorrow

Cardiology Heart Murmurs

What are Heart Murmurs: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

heart murmurMost heart murmurs do not cause serious issues, occurring in healthy bodies nor do they need treatment.

However, there are cases in which there are exceptions. Heart murmurs can be associated with damaged or overworked heart valve problems. Other get them as part of aging, or from other heart difficulties.

The murmur’ comes from the sound of blood flowing in the heartbeat cycle. This sound can be the swishing and whooshing made by the movement of blood in or near the heart. It can pasAs through a heart valve that may have problems. Or, it can be that a condition is making the heart beat at a faster rate, forcing the heart to handle more blood quicker than normal. A heart murmur is a result.

Symptoms

There are multiple symptoms of heart murmurs; An abnormal heart murmur may cause no obvious other signs or symptoms, aside from the unique sound your physician hears when monitoring to your heart with a stethoscope. But if you have these signs or symptoms, they may show a heart problem.

  • Chronic coughing
  • Enlarged neck veins
  • Chest Pain
  • Enlarged liver
  • Poor appetite and failure to grow normally
  • Heavy sweating with minimal or no exertion
  • Shortness of Breath
  • Swelling or sudden weight gain
  • Skin that appears blue, specifically on the lips and fingertips
  • Fainting
  • Dizziness

Causes
The most prevalent conditions can make you heart beat faster and lead to heart murmurs. It can happen if ou is pregnant or if you have the following:

  • Fever
  • Overactive Thyroid
  • High Blood pressure
  • Anemia

It could also be an issue with a heart valve. The valves close and open to let the blood flow into the heart’s two upper chambers (the atria) and two lower chambers (the ventricles). Valves problems include:

Mitral valve prolasp. Nomally, your mitral valve complex closes completely when the lower left chamber of your heart conrtacts. It stops blood from moving back into the left upper chamber. If part of the valve balloons out, so that doesn’t shut correctly, you have mitral valve prolapse. Thisheartmurmer2 produces a clicking sound as your heart beats. It’s somewhat common, and it’s often not severe. But it can lead to the blood flowing in reverse through the valve, also regurgitationheart valve

Mitral valve or aortic stenosis. The mitral or aortic valves are on the left side of your heart. If they narrow, which doctors call stenosis, your heart must work header to pump blood out into the rates of your body. If left untreated the heart can wear out and lead to heart failure. You might be born with the condition as well as the condition may occur as a result of scarring from conditions, such as rheumatic fever.

Aortic sclerosis and stenosis -One in three elderly people has a heater murmur due to scaring, thinking or stiffing of the aortic valve, although it hasn’t narrowed. It’s ordinarily not dangerous., since the valve can work for the year after the murmur begins. Aortic sclerosis can be seen in individuals who have heart disease. But over time, the valve can narrow, also called stenosis. This can lead to chest pain shortness of breath or pass out. IN some cases the valve may be to be replaced.

Mitral or aortic regurgitation – meaning the blood is going in the opposite direction through the mitral valve or the aortic valve. To rectify this backflow, the heart pumps harder to force the blood through the damaged valve. Over time the heart can become weakened or damaged leading to heart failure.

Congenital heart defects. About 25,000 children are born every year with heart defects. These defects can be holes in the heart walls or abnormal heart valves. In many cases surgery will correct these problems.

heart murmur3Treatment
Many children and adults have harmless heart murmurs; which do not require treatment, If someone has another condition that causes high blood pressure, is causing your heart murmurs, your physician will treat the underlying cause.

Some kinds of heart valve disease may require medications or surgery.
Medicines to prevent blood clots control irregular heartbeat or palpitations and lower blood pressure.
Diuretics can remove excess water, and salt from the body, which makes it easier for the heart to pump.
Surgery to repair certain types of heart valve disease
Surgery can rectify defects someone is born with
It is rare, however on occasions doctors sometimes will request for individuals to take antibiotics, to help limit heart infection before dental work or some kinds of surgery.

Heart Murmurs Diagnosis
Normally Doctors find heart murmurs during a physical examination. Your doctor will be able to listen to the heart murmur when they use the stethoscope.
Your physician may order one or more of the following test to see whether your heart murmur is innocent or whether it caused by acquired valve disease or a deficiency you were born with.

Electrocardiogram (ECG), which marks the electrical activity of the heart
Chest X-rays to see if the heart is enlarged due to the heart valve disease
Echocardiography, which utilizes sound waves to map the heart’s structure.

In most cases, you can not prevent heart murmurs. You can treat the underlying causes, however, such as high blood pressure, or avoid a heart valve infection, can prevent heart murmurs before they start.

When Should you call your Doctor: Chest pain, breathlessness fainting or fatigue for no clear reasons.
Heart palpitations.