Heart murmur/valvular heart disease
Heart murmurs are abnormal sounds during your heartbeat cycle such as whooshing or swishing made by turbulent blood in or near your heart. These sounds can be heard with a stethoscope. A normal heartbeat makes two sounds like "lubb-dupp" (sometimes described as "lub-DUP"), which are the sounds of your heart valves closing. A heart murmur will sound like an additional humming or whooshing sound occurring between the “lubb-dubb” sounds. Heart murmurs can be present at birth (congenital) or develop later in life. A heart murmur isn't a disease, but may indicate an underlying heart problem. Most heart murmurs are harmless (innocent) and don't need treatment. Some heart murmurs may require follow-up tests to be sure the murmur isn't caused by a serious underlying heart condition. Treatment, if needed, is directed at the cause of your heart murmurs. Your heart has four valves that keep blood flowing in the correct direction. The valves open and close once during each heartbeat. Sometimes the valves don't open or close properly, disrupting the blood flow through your heart to your body. In a condition called stenosis, a valve isn't able to open properly. In a condition called regurgitation, a valve doesn't close properly and can leak. An echocardiogram may help diagnose the cause of heart murmurs. |