Heart Murmur

ENGLISH / MALTESE

What is a heart murmur?

  • The blood flowing through your heart makes a sound which doctors may recognise by using a stethoscope.

  • The sounds relate to the four valves inside your heart, which open and close as blood flows through.

  • A heart murmur relates to an extra or abnormal heart sound

  • Occasionally, no cause may be identified for a murmur. It may, however, be due to an abnormal structure within the heart 

“Not all heart murmurs cause problems.”

What is an ‘Innocent’ Heart Murmur?

  • Heart murmurs are occasionally heard in children. 

  • We call them ‘innocent’ because they are generally harmless and not related to heart disease.

  • They may vary depending on the child’s breathing rate, heart rate and even the child’s posture.

  • Most innocent murmurs disappear as the child grows up.


How do I get a heart murmur?

  • Your heart is responsible for pumping blood around your body

  • Like any pump, it needs to relax to allow it to fill up with blood (the diastolic phase) and it needs to contract to push the blood back out (the systolic phase). 

  • If your valves are either too narrow, floppy or leaking, recognisable sounds are produced as blood flows through them. 

  • Depending on the valve defect and which valve is affected, different types of murmurs may be heard, allowing the doctor to potentially identify the problem.

  • Other heart defects may cause a murmur such as those you are born with, known as congenital heart defects. For example, this may refer to a hole in one of the walls separating the right and left side of your heart.

  • Murmurs may also be heard if you have a low blood level (known as anaemia) or are pregnant, as your blood passes through in a hyperdynamic function.


Do I need treatment for heart murmurs?

  • As mentioned above, not all murmurs are a result of something abnormal.

  • To understand what is causing a heart murmur, your doctor may order an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound of the heart.

  • This may identify a structural abnormality which is causing the murmur.

  • If an abnormality is identified on echocardiography, various types of treatments are available.

  • The majority do not need any intervention; however, a few may require medical treatment or an operation. 

  • If an operation is required, it may be to repair or replace the valve. Many types of operations are available, and the choice depends on the cause of the murmur.

  • Your doctor can explain the options with you.


Take-Home Messages

Not all heart murmurs cause problems.

A murmur may be heard when a doctor examines you with a stethoscope. 

Children may have ‘innocent’ (harmless) murmurs which disappear as they grow older

Heart murmurs may be caused by structural abnormalities within your heart, mainly relating to your valves.

HELP AND SUPPORT

If you have any questions regarding our article feel free to contact us on info@maltaheartfoundation.org or our Facebook page (LINK).

This article was authored by Dr. Alex Esposito and edited by Dr. Neil Grech, in collaboration with the Malta Heart Foundation and Maltese Cardiac Society.

Cardiac ConditionsMHF Admin - Matthew Farrugia