Heart murmurs can be harmless or a sign of a heart valve problem, with symptoms including shortness of breath, chest pain, and fatigue. Innocent murmurs are often diagnosed during routine exams, while those with symptoms may need tests and treatment. A cardiologist can provide advice and support.
Heart murmur symptoms are seen with only some heart murmurs and include a constellation of signs indicative of poor circulation. Often, heart murmurs are diagnosed before symptoms emerge, as they can be easily heard during a physical exam. If your symptoms change or worsen, it’s a sign that your heart is working harder and it may be time to consider some treatment options. A cardiologist supervises the care of a patient with a heart murmur.
Heart murmurs are changes in heart sound caused by the way blood moves through the heart’s valves. Many are harmless and are simply natural variations in heart function. People with innocent heart murmurs, as they are known, usually have no symptoms at all, and the abnormal heart sound is identified and noted during a routine exam. In other cases, a heart murmur is a sign of a problem with a valve in the heart, ranging from a birth defect to disease, and the patient develops symptoms indicative of a compromised circulatory system.
Some common heart murmur symptoms include a bluish tinge to the skin, especially in the extremities, along with shortness of breath, fast breathing, chest pain, dizziness, fatigue, fainting, enlarged neck veins, lack of interest in food, and neck veins enlarged . These heart murmur symptoms are associated with the heart’s struggle to circulate blood effectively. People with life-threatening heart murmurs usually have difficulty exercising and may experience pain and discomfort when engaging in strenuous or stressful activities.
In patients with an innocent heart murmur identified during an exam, a doctor may recommend certain tests to learn more about the heart’s function and to confirm that the patient is healthy. The patient can also be told about the symptoms of the heart murmur so that they are aware of the warning signs of a developing problem. Patients who have a heart murmur and symptoms will also need tests to find out why the heart is having trouble pumping blood normally, and treatment options such as medications and surgery may be considered.
While it can be scary to be diagnosed with a heart murmur, it’s important to be aware that many people live healthy, active lives with murmurs and are sometimes unaware of them altogether. A cardiologist can be consulted to learn more about a specific murmur and to provide advice and recommendations to help the patient stay healthy. Patients may also find it helpful to talk to other people with a heart murmur to learn more about living with a heart murmur and coping with heart murmur symptoms.
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