Heart Murmur Treatment

Pathologic heart sounds that are produced as a result of turbulent blood flow that is sufficient to produce audible noise are called heart murmurs. In most cases, murmurs can only be heard with the use of a stethoscope.

A heart murmur that is primarily due to physiologic conditions outside the heart is a physiologic murmur or “functional murmur”.  Functional murmurs are considered an innocent murmur or “benign”.

Narrowing or leaking valves, or the presence of abnormal passages through which blood flows in or near the heart may result in murmurs. Murmurs, such as pathologic murmurs should be evaluated by an expert.

Heart murmurs are categorized by timing. These murmurs are then labeled systolic heart murmurs and diastolic heart murmurs. Continuous murmurs cannot be directly placed into either category.