Medipedia Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Cardiology
Heart symbol
This article is part of a series.
Investigations
Physical examination
Electrocardiography
Imaging techniques
Stress testing
Tilt testing
Cardiac catherization
Conditions
Cardiac arrhythmias
Congenital heart disease
Endocardial disease
Heart failure
Ischaemic heart disease
Pericardial diasease
Valvular heart disease
Vascular disease
Cardiology portal
vde


Heart murmurs, or cardiac murmurs are sounds that occur in additon to the normal sounds of the heart. They are the result of turbulent blood flow through the heart that is sufficient to produce an audible sound. Murmurs can be present in physiologically normal hearts in which case they are referred to as innocent murmurs. Aside from innocent murmurs, common (problematic) causes of heart murmurs include narrowing or leaky valves or the presence of abnormal passages through which blood flows, in or near the heart. Heart murmurs are usually picked up on auscultation of the chest with a stephoscope but are occaisionally loud enough to be heard without listening to the chest. The intensity of a murmur does not necessarily reflect the severity of the underlying condition that is causing it.

Advertisement