For example, people may require medications such as:. Some people will require surgery to repair a defective valve. However, some people with mild heart valve disease may never require surgery. That said, if the heart valve defect begins to significantly affect blood flow through the heart, cause symptoms, or increase pressure in the heart, a valve repair or replacement might be necessary.
Innocent heart murmurs are benign and do not usually require medical attention. Abnormal heart murmurs, however, signal an underlying heart condition. When treating abnormal heart murmurs, the doctor must first determine the cause. Sometimes, people need surgery to repair a defective valve. Others may not need surgery and will be able to lead a relatively healthy life.
Heart valve disease is more common with age. Doctors can help people manage heart murmurs and improve the function of the heart. The coronary arteries supply oxygen and blood to the heart. Learn more about coronary artery disease causes, symptoms, risk factors, and more.
Here, learn to recognize a heart attack and what to do next. We also describe treatment and recovery and provide tips for prevention. Mitral valve prolapse is when one of the heart valves buckles backward on closing. It can cause heart arrhythmias, dizziness, and chest pain. Here, learn about the structure of the heart, what each part does, and how it works to support the body.
We also explore the electrical impulses and…. What to know about heart murmurs. Medically reviewed by Dr. Payal Kohli, M. What is it? Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Outlook A heart murmur is an abnormal sound that the blood makes as it moves through the heart. What is a heart murmur? Share on Pinterest A doctor may check for a heart murmur with a stethoscope.
Share on Pinterest A person with an abnormal heart murmur may experience dizziness. Latest news Adolescent depression: Could school screening help? Aortic stenosis - the opening of the aortic valve is abnormally narrow, which impedes the passage of blood into the aorta.
Damage to the cardiac muscle - may occur after a heart attack, heart infection such as endocarditis or infection of the valve or as a complication of coronary artery disease or hypertension. Hyperthyroidism - overactive thyroid gland. Excessive amounts of thyroid hormone affect heart function in a similar way to anaemia. Stress - emotional stress can sometimes interfere with the force of the heartbeat, increasing the blood flow as happens with anaemia and hyperthyroidism.
Innocent heart murmurs are common It is thought that around half of all babies and young children have innocent heart murmurs. Diagnosis methods Diagnosis of the cause of a heart murmur may involve a number of tests including: Medical history Physical examination Chest x-ray Electrocardiograph test ECG Blood tests Echocardiogram a type of ultrasound scan of the heart. Treatment options Treatment depends on the cause but may include: Innocent heart murmurs - no treatment is necessary, as the heart structures and blood flow are normal - just noisy.
Heart surgery - to repair leaking heart valves, or repair the structural abnormalities of congenital heart disorders. This may require open heart surgery.
Endocarditis or other infections - antibiotics, and surgery in some cases. Anaemia - can often be treated with iron supplements and changes to diet. Depending on the cause, more serious cases of anaemia may need treatments including blood transfusions or removal of the spleen splenectomy. Hyperthyroidism - medications or surgery to bring the thyroid hormone levels back to normal.
A heart murmur is a whooshing, humming or rasping sound between the heartbeat sounds. This is caused by noisy blood flow within the heart. Blood can flow abnormally through the heart for many reasons, including defective valves, congenital heart disorders and anaemia.
Treatment depends on the cause, but may include surgery or antibiotics. Most heart murmurs are innocent and require no treatment.
More information here. Give feedback about this page. Was this page helpful? Yes No. View all heart. Heart murmurs can be harmless innocent or abnormal. An innocent heart murmur is not a sign of heart disease and doesn't need treatment. Abnormal heart murmurs require follow-up testing to determine the cause. Treatment is directed at the cause of your abnormal heart murmur. An abnormal heart murmur may cause the following signs and symptoms, depending on the cause of the murmur:.
Most heart murmurs aren't serious, but if you think you or your child has a heart murmur, make an appointment to see your family doctor. Your doctor can tell you if the heart murmur is innocent and doesn't require any further treatment or if an underlying heart problem needs to be further examined. A person with an innocent murmur has a normal heart. This type of heart murmur is common in newborns and children.
An innocent murmur can occur when blood flows more rapidly than normal through the heart. Conditions that may cause rapid blood flow through your heart, resulting in an innocent heart murmur, include:. Innocent heart murmurs may disappear over time, or they may last your entire life without ever causing further health problems.
In adults, abnormal murmurs are most often due to acquired heart valve problems. In children, abnormal murmurs are usually caused by structural problems of the heart congenital heart defects.
In older children and adults, causes of abnormal heart murmurs include infections and conditions that damage the structures of the heart. For example:. This infection of the inner lining of your heart and valves typically occurs when bacteria or other germs from another part of your body, such as your mouth, spread through your bloodstream and get stuck in your heart.
Left untreated, endocarditis can damage or destroy your heart valves. This condition usually occurs in people who already have heart valve problems. You have an increased risk of a heart murmur if someone in your family had a heart defect associated with the unusual sounds. Having uncontrolled diabetes or a rubella infection during pregnancy increases your baby's risk of developing heart defects and a heart murmur.
Use of certain medications, alcohol or drugs during pregnancy can lead to heart defects in a developing baby, which may cause a heart murmur. While there's not much you can do to prevent a heart murmur, it is reassuring to know that heart murmurs are not a disease and are often harmless.
0コメント