Diagnosis - Murmurs

A murmur is a sound due to vibrations from the flow of blood through the heart or great vessels. A murmur is usually heard with a stethoscope. A murmur may be innocent and be of no significance, or it may be abnormal (pathological) and reflect disease. Pathological heart murmurs are usually caused by one of two problems. One of these is a defective heart valve. The valve may not close or open completely and so blood does not flow normally through the heart. Enough blood may not be able to get through the heart, or the blood may back up and go in the wrong direction.

The other problem is a hole in the heart. A hole sometimes develops in the wall between the left and right sides of the heart. A hole of this kind may be relatively harmless, or it may cause heart problems that require surgery.

Once a murmur is detected, an echocardiogram is usually recommended to diagnose the underlying cause. An echocardiogram is a test in which harmless sound waves are sent through the heart. The path taken by the sound waves is recorded and the pattern of reflected sound allows detailed images of the heart to be visualised.