Your Trusted Cardiologist In NYC

Heart Murmur – Heed your Cardiologist’s Advise

Any unusual or extra sound heard during a heartbeat is termed as heart murmur. Your normal heartbeat is the sound made by the closing of heart valves as blood moves through your heart. Using a stethoscope, a doctor can hear both the normal heartbeat and the murmur. He can decide about the heart murmur’s location, loudness and timing.

Evaluating heart murmur:

A cardiologist will conduct physical check up on you while evaluating a heart murmur to note:

·         The faintness or loudness of the murmur to grade it on a scale of 1 to 6.

·         Try to locate the exact place of murmur and assess if it is heard even at the back or at the neck

·         Try to assess the length of the murmur and if it is a low, medium or high pitch

·         When the murmur occurs during heartbeat

·         Ascertain whether a physical activity, breathing or a change in body position affect it

Types of Heart Murmur:

After evaluation and a positive conclusion about the existence of heart murmur, the cardiologist will recommend you certain diagnostic tests like a chest x ray, an EKG (electrocardiogram) and ECG (electrocardiography). These procedures will help to conclude whether the murmur is harmless type or the abnormal type.

The harmless murmur is not due to heart problems and often seen in children. The abnormal type can arise due many heart related problems like:

·         Congenital heart defect (seen more in children)

·         Heart valve disease

·         Septal defects (holes in the heart)

·         Infections

·         Age related changes

·         Rheumatic fever

·         Conditions or Illness not related to heart can cause blood to flow faster as in anemic condition.

Depending upon the type and severity of heart murmur diagnosed, you will be treated by your doctor to correct the underlying cause through medication or surgery.

Find A Cardiologist:

When you experience symptoms related to heart problems:

·         Unexplained breathlessness

·         Heart palpitations

·         Fatigue

·         Chest pain

·         Fainting or dizziness

Call your doctor today to discuss about heart murmur problem.