In adults, abnormal heart murmurs most often are caused by acquired heart valve disease. This is heart valve disease that develops as the result of another condition. Infections, diseases, and aging can cause heart valve disease.
What Is a Heart Murmur?
A heart murmur is an extra or unusual sound heard during a heartbeat. Murmurs range from very faint to very loud. Sometimes they sound like a whooshing or swishing noise.
Normal heartbeats make a "lub-DUPP" or "lub-DUB" sound. This is the sound of the heart valves closing as blood moves through the heart. Doctors can hear these sounds and heart murmurs using a stethoscope.
The two types of heart murmurs are innocent (harmless) and abnormal.
Innocent heart murmurs aren't caused by heart problems. These murmurs are common in healthy children. Many children will have heart murmurs heard by their doctors at some point in their lives.
People who have abnormal heart murmurs may have signs or symptoms of heart problems. Most abnormal murmurs in children are caused by congenital (kon-JEN-ih-tal) heart defects. These defects are problems with the heart's structure that are present at birth.
In adults, abnormal heart murmurs most often are caused by acquired heart valve disease. This is heart valve disease that develops as the result of another condition. Infections, diseases, and aging can cause heart valve disease.
A heart murmur isn't a disease, and most murmurs are harmless. Innocent murmurs don't cause symptoms. Having one doesn't require you to limit your physical activity or do anything else special. Although you may have an innocent murmur throughout your life, you won't need treatment for it.
The outlook and treatment for abnormal heart murmurs depend on the type and severity of the heart problem causing them.
The heart is a muscle about the size of your fist. It works like a pump and beats 100,000 times a day.
The heart has two sides, separated by an inner wall called the septum. The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen. The left side of the heart receives the oxygen-rich blood from the lungs and pumps it to the body.
The heart has four chambers and four valves and is connected to various blood vessels. Veins are blood vessels that carry blood from the body to the heart. Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart to the body.
Figure 1 shows the location of the heart in the body. Figure B shows a cross-section of a healthy heart and its inside structures. The blue arrow shows the direction in which oxygen-poor blood flows through the heart to the lungs. The red arrow shows the direction in which oxygen-rich blood flows from the lungs into the heart and then out to the body.
The heart has four chambers or "rooms."
Four valves control the flow of blood from the atria to the ventricles and from the ventricles into the two large arteries connected to the heart.
Valves are like doors that open and close. They open to allow blood to flow through to the next chamber or to one of the arteries. Then they shut to keep blood from flowing backward.
When the heart's valves open and close, they make a "lub-DUB" sound that a doctor can hear using a stethoscope.
The arteries are major blood vessels connected to your heart.
The veins also are major blood vessels connected to your heart.
For more information about how a healthy heart works, go to the Health Topics How the Heart Works article. This article contains animations that show how your heart pumps blood and how your heart's electrical system works.
Why some people have innocent heart murmurs and others do not isn't known. Innocent murmurs are simply sounds made by blood flowing through the heart's chambers and valves, or through blood vessels near the heart.
Extra blood flow through the heart also may cause innocent heart murmurs. After childhood, the most common cause of extra blood flow through the heart is pregnancy. This is because during pregnancy, women's bodies make extra blood. Most heart murmurs that occur in pregnant women are innocent.
Congenital heart defects or acquired heart valve disease often are the cause of abnormal heart murmurs.
Congenital heart defects are the most common cause of abnormal heart murmurs in children. These defects are problems with the heart's structure that are present at birth. They change the normal flow of blood through the heart.
Congenital heart defects can involve the interior walls of the heart, the valves inside the heart, or the arteries and veins that carry blood to and from the heart. Some babies are born with more than one heart defect.
Heart valve problems, septal defects (also called holes in the heart), and diseases of the heart muscle such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are common heart defects that cause abnormal heart murmurs.
Examples of valve problems are narrow valves that limit blood flow or leaky valves that don't close properly. Septal defects are holes in the wall that separates the right and left sides of the heart. This wall is called the septum.
A hole in the septum between the heart's two upper chambers is called an atrial septal defect. A hole in the septum between the heart's two lower chambers is called a ventricular septal defect.
Hypertrophic (hi-per-TROF-ik) cardiomyopathy (kar-de-o-mi-OP-ah-thee) (HCM) occurs if heart muscle cells enlarge and cause the walls of the ventricles (usually the left ventricle) to thicken. The thickening may block blood flow out of the ventricle. If a blockage occurs, the ventricle must work hard to pump blood to the body. HCM also can affect the heart’s mitral valve, causing blood to leak backward through the valve.
Figure A shows the structure and blood flow inside a normal heart. Figure B shows a heart with leaking and narrowed valves. Figure C shows a heart with a ventricular septal defect.
For more information, go to the Health Topics Congenital Heart Defects article.
Acquired heart valve disease often is the cause of abnormal heart murmurs in adults. This is heart valve disease that develops as the result of another condition.
Many conditions can cause heart valve disease. Examples include heart conditions and other disorders, age-related changes, rheumatic (ru-MAT-ik) fever, and infections.
Heart conditions and other disorders. Certain conditions can stretch and distort the heart valves, such as:
Damage and scar tissue from a heart attack or injury to the heart.
Advanced high blood pressure and heart failure. These conditions can enlarge the heart or its main arteries.
Age-related changes. As you get older, calcium deposits or other deposits may form on your heart valves. These deposits stiffen and thicken the valve flaps and limit blood flow. This stiffening and thickening of the valve is called sclerosis (skle-RO-sis).
Rheumatic fever. The bacteria that cause strep throat, scarlet fever, and, in some cases, impetigo (im-peh-TI-go) also can cause rheumatic fever. This serious illness can develop if you have an untreated or not fully treated streptococcal (strep) infection.
Rheumatic fever can damage and scar the heart valves. The symptoms of this heart valve damage often don't occur until many years after recovery from rheumatic fever.
Today, most people who have strep infections are treated with antibiotics before rheumatic fever develops. It's very important to take all of the antibiotics your doctor prescribes for strep throat, even if you feel better before the medicine is gone.
Infections. Common germs that enter the bloodstream and get carried to the heart can sometimes infect the inner surface of the heart, including the heart valves. This rare but sometimes life-threatening infection is called infective endocarditis (EN-do-kar-DI-tis), or IE.
IE is more likely to develop in people who already have abnormal blood flow through a heart valve because of heart valve disease. The abnormal blood flow causes blood clots to form on the surface of the valve. The blood clots make it easier for germs to attach to and infect the valve.
IE can worsen existing heart valve disease.
Some heart murmurs occur because of an illness outside of the heart. The heart is normal, but an illness or condition can cause blood flow that's faster than normal. Examples of this type of illness include fever, anemia (uh-NEE-me-eh), and hyperthyroidism.
Anemia is a condition in which the body has a lower than normal number of red blood cells. Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which the body has too much thyroid hormone.
People who have innocent (harmless) heart murmurs don't have any signs or symptoms other than the murmur itself. This is because innocent heart murmurs aren't caused by heart problems.
People who have abnormal heart murmurs may have signs or symptoms of the heart problems causing the murmurs. These signs and symptoms may include:
Signs and symptoms depend on the problem causing the heart murmur and its severity.
Doctors use a stethoscope to listen to heart sounds and hear heart murmurs. They may detect heart murmurs during routine checkups or while checking for another condition.
If a congenital heart defect causes a murmur, it's often heard at birth or during infancy. Abnormal heart murmurs caused by other heart problems can be heard in patients of any age.
Primary care doctors usually refer people who have abnormal heart murmurs to cardiologists or pediatric cardiologists for further care and testing.
Cardiologists are doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating heart problems in adults. Pediatric cardiologists specialize in diagnosing and treating heart problems in children.
Your doctor will carefully listen to your heart or your child's heart with a stethoscope to find out whether a murmur is innocent or abnormal. He or she will listen to the loudness, location, and timing of the murmur. This will help your doctor diagnose the cause of the murmur.
Your doctor also may:
When evaluating a heart murmur, your doctor will pay attention to many things, such as:
If your doctor thinks you or your child has an abnormal heart murmur, he or she may recommend one or more of the following tests.
A chest x ray is a painless test that creates pictures of the structures inside your chest, such as your heart, lungs, and blood vessels. This test is done to find the cause of symptoms, such as shortness of breath and chest pain.
An EKG (electrocardiogram) is a simple test that detects and records the heart's electrical activity. An EKG shows how fast the heart is beating and its rhythm (steady or irregular). An EKG also records the strength and timing of electrical signals as they pass through each part of the heart.
This test is used to detect and locate the source of heart problems. The results from an EKG also may be used to rule out certain heart problems.
Echocardiography (EK-o-kar-de-OG-ra-fee), or echo, is a painless test that uses sound waves to create pictures of your heart. The test shows the size and shape of your heart and how well your heart's chambers and valves are working.
Echo also can show areas of poor blood flow to the heart, areas of heart muscle that aren't contracting normally, and previous injury to the heart muscle caused by poor blood flow.
There are several types of echo, including a stress echo. This test is done both before and after a stress test. During this test, you exercise to make your heart work hard and beat fast. If you can’t exercise, you may be given medicine to make your heart work hard and beat fast. Echo is used to take pictures of your heart before you exercise and as soon as you finish.
Stress echo shows whether you have decreased blood flow to your heart (a sign of coronary heart disease).
A heart murmur isn't a disease. It's an extra or unusual sound heard during the heartbeat. Thus, murmurs themselves don't require treatment. However, if an underlying condition is causing a heart murmur, your doctor may recommend treatment for that condition.
Healthy children who have innocent (harmless) heart murmurs don't need treatment. Their heart murmurs aren't caused by heart problems or other conditions.
Pregnant women who have innocent heart murmurs due to extra blood volume also don't need treatment. Their heart murmurs should go away after pregnancy.
If you or your child has an abnormal heart murmur, your doctor will recommend treatment for the disease or condition causing the murmur.
Some medical conditions, such as anemia or hyperthyroidism, can cause heart murmurs that aren't related to heart disease. Treating these conditions should make the heart murmur go away.
If a congenital heart defect is causing a heart murmur, treatment will depend on the type and severity of the defect. Treatment may include medicines or surgery. For more information about treatments for congenital heart defects, go to the Health Topics Congenital Heart Defects article.
If acquired heart valve disease is causing a heart murmur, treatment usually will depend on the type, amount, and severity of the disease.
Currently, no medicines can cure heart valve disease. However, lifestyle changes and medicines can treat symptoms and help delay complications. Eventually, though, you may need surgery to repair or replace a faulty heart valve.
For more information about treatments for heart valve disease, go to the Health Topics Heart Valve Disease article.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is strongly committed to supporting research aimed at preventing and treating heart, lung, and blood diseases and conditions and sleep disorders.
NHLBI-supported research has led to many advances in medical knowledge and care. Often, these advances depend on the willingness of volunteers to take part in clinical trials.
Clinical trials test new ways to prevent, diagnose, or treat various diseases and conditions. For example, new treatments for a disease or condition (such as medicines, medical devices, surgeries, or procedures) are tested in volunteers who have the illness. Testing shows whether a treatment is safe and effective in humans before it is made available for widespread use.
By taking part in a clinical trial, you can gain access to new treatments before they're widely available. You also will have the support of a team of health care providers, who will likely monitor your health closely. Even if you don't directly benefit from the results of a clinical trial, the information gathered can help others and add to scientific knowledge.
If you volunteer for a clinical trial, the research will be explained to you in detail. You'll learn about treatments and tests you may receive, and the benefits and risks they may pose. You'll also be given a chance to ask questions about the research. This process is called informed consent.
If you agree to take part in the trial, you'll be asked to sign an informed consent form. This form is not a contract. You have the right to withdraw from a study at any time, for any reason. Also, you have the right to learn about new risks or findings that emerge during the trial.
For more information about clinical trials related to heart murmurs or other heart diseases or conditions, talk with your doctor. You also can visit the following Web sites to learn more about clinical research and to search for clinical trials:
For more information about clinical trials for children, visit the NHLBI's Children and Clinical Studies Web page.
Source: NHLBI, NIH
What Are Palpitations?
Palpitations (pal-pi-TA-shuns) are feelings that your heart is skipping a beat, fluttering, or beating too hard or too fast. You may have these feelings in your chest, throat, or neck. They can occur during activity or even when you're sitting still or lying down.
Many things can trigger palpitations, including:
These factors can make the heart beat faster or stronger than usual, or they can cause premature (extra) heartbeats. In these situations, the heart is still working normally. Thus, these palpitations usually are harmless.
Some palpitations are symptoms of arrhythmias (ah-RITH-me-ahs). Arrhythmias are problems with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat.
Some arrhythmias are signs of heart conditions, such as heart attack, heart failure, heart valve disease, or heart muscle disease. However, less than half of the people who have palpitations have arrhythmias.
You can take steps to reduce or prevent palpitations. Try to avoid things that trigger them (such as stress and stimulants) and treat related medical conditions.
Palpitations are very common. They usually aren't serious or harmful, but they can be bothersome. If you have them, your doctor can decide whether you need treatment or ongoing care.
Many things can cause palpitations. You may have these feelings even when your heart is beating normally or somewhat faster than normal.
Most palpitations are harmless and often go away on their own. However, some palpitations are signs of a heart problem. Sometimes the cause of palpitations can't be found.
If you start having palpitations, see your doctor to have them checked.
You may feel your heart pounding or racing during anxiety, fear, or stress. You also may have these feelings if you're having a panic attack.
Intense activity can make your heart feel like it’s beating too hard or too fast, even though it's working normally. Intense activity also can cause occasional premature (extra) heartbeats.
Some medical conditions can cause palpitations. These conditions can make the heart beat faster or stronger than usual. They also can cause premature (extra) heartbeats.
Examples of these medical conditions include:
The hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy, menstruation, and the perimenopausal period may cause palpitations. The palpitations will likely improve or go away as these conditions go away or change.
Some palpitations that occur during pregnancy may be due to anemia.
Many medicines can trigger palpitations because they can make the heart beat faster or stronger than usual. Medicines also can cause premature (extra) heartbeats.
Examples of these medicines include:
Over-the-counter medicines that act as stimulants also may cause palpitations. These include decongestants (found in cough and cold medicines) and some herbal and nutritional supplements.
Caffeine, nicotine (found in tobacco), alcohol, and illegal drugs (such as cocaine and amphetamines) also can cause palpitations.
Some palpitations are symptoms of arrhythmias. Arrhythmias are problems with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat. However, less than half of the people who have palpitations have arrhythmias.
During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm. An arrhythmia happens if some part of the heart's electrical system doesn't work as it should.
Palpitations are more likely to be related to an arrhythmia if you:
Some people may be more likely than others to have palpitations. People at increased risk include those who:
Women who are pregnant, menstruating, or perimenopausal also may be at higher risk for palpitations because of hormonal changes. Some palpitations that occur during pregnancy may be due to anemia.
For more information about these risk factors, go to "What Causes Palpitations?"
Symptoms of palpitations include feelings that your heart is:
You may have these feelings in your chest, throat, or neck. They can occur during activity or even when you're sitting still or lying down.
Palpitations often are harmless, and your heart is working normally. However, these feelings can be a sign of a more serious problem if you also:
Your doctor may have already told you that your palpitations are harmless. Even so, see your doctor again if your palpitations:
Your doctor will want to check whether your palpitations are the symptom of a heart problem, such as an arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).
First, your doctor will want to find out whether your palpitations are harmless or related to a heart problem. He or she will ask about your symptoms and medical history, do a physical exam, and recommend several basic tests.
This information may point to a heart problem as the cause of your palpitations. If so, your doctor may recommend more tests. These tests will help show what the problem is, so your doctor can decide how to treat it.
The cause of palpitations may be hard to diagnose, especially if symptoms don't occur regularly.
Several types of doctors may work with you to diagnose and treat your palpitations. These include a:
Your doctor will ask questions about your palpitations, such as:
Your doctor also may ask about your use of caffeine, alcohol, supplements, and illegal drugs.
Your doctor will take your pulse to find out how fast your heart is beating and whether its rhythm is normal. He or she also will use a stethoscope to listen to your heartbeat.
Your doctor may look for signs of conditions that can cause palpitations, such as an overactive thyroid.
Often, the first test that's done is an EKG (electrocardiogram). This simple test records your heart's electrical activity.
An EKG shows how fast your heart is beating and its rhythm (steady or irregular). It also records the strength and timing of electrical signals as they pass through your heart.
Even if your EKG results are normal, you may still have a medical condition that's causing palpitations. If your doctor suspects this is the case, you may have blood tests to gather more information about your heart's structure, function, and electrical system.
A standard EKG only records the heartbeat for a few seconds. It won't detect heart rhythm problems that don't happen during the test. To diagnose problems that come and go, your doctor may have you wear a Holter or event monitor.
A Holter monitor records the heart’s electrical activity for a full 24- or 48-hour period. You wear patches called electrodes on your chest. Wires connect the patches to a small, portable recorder. The recorder can be clipped to a belt, kept in a pocket, or hung around your neck.
During the 24- or 48-hour period, you do your usual daily activities. You use a notebook to record any symptoms you have and the time they occur. You then return both the recorder and the notebook to your doctor to read the results. Your doctor can see how your heart was beating at the time you had symptoms.
An event monitor is similar to a Holter monitor. You wear an event monitor while doing your normal activities. However, an event monitor only records your heart's electrical activity at certain times while you're wearing it.
For many event monitors, you push a button to start the monitor when you feel symptoms. Other event monitors start automatically when they sense abnormal heart rhythms.
You can wear an event monitor for weeks or until symptoms occur.
Figure A shows how a Holter or event monitor attaches to a patient. In this example, the monitor is clipped to the patient's belt and electrodes are attached to his chest. Figure B shows an electrocardiogram strip, which maps the data from the Holter or event monitor.
Echocardiography uses sound waves to create a moving picture of your heart. The picture shows the size and shape of your heart and how well your heart chambers and valves are working.
The test also can identify areas of poor blood flow to the heart, areas of heart muscle that aren't contracting normally, and previous injury to the heart muscle caused by poor blood flow.
Some heart problems are easier to diagnose when your heart is working hard and beating fast. During stress testing, you exercise to make your heart work hard and beat fast while heart tests are done. If you can’t exercise, you may be given medicine to make your heart work hard and beat fast.
Treatment for palpitations depends on their cause. Most palpitations are harmless and often go away on their own. In these cases, no treatment is needed.
Your palpitations may be harmless but bothersome. If so, your doctor may suggest avoiding things that trigger them. For examples, your doctor may advise you to:
Work with your doctor to control medical conditions that can cause palpitations, such as an overactive thyroid. If you're taking medicine that's causing palpitations, your doctor will try to find a different medicine for you.
If your palpitations are caused by an arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), your doctor may recommend medicines or procedures to treat the problem. For more information, go to the Health Topics Arrhythmia article.
You can take steps to prevent palpitations. Try to avoid things that trigger them. For example:
Also, work with your doctor to treat medical conditions that can cause palpitations.
Most palpitations are harmless and often go away on their own. Treatment usually isn’t needed in these cases. Your doctor may advise you to avoid triggers for palpitations. (For more information, go to "How Are Palpitations Treated?")
Your doctor may have already told you that your palpitations are harmless. Even so, see your doctor again if they get worse, start to occur more often, become more noticeable or bothersome, or occur with other symptoms.
Your doctor will tell you about other signs and symptoms to be aware of and when to seek emergency care.
A medical condition or heart problem might be the cause of your palpitations. If so, your doctor will give you advice and treatment for your condition.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is strongly committed to supporting research aimed at preventing and treating heart, lung, and blood diseases and conditions and sleep disorders.
NHLBI-supported research has led to many advances in medical knowledge and care. Often, these advances depend on the willingness of volunteers to take part in clinical trials.
Clinical trials test new ways to prevent, diagnose, or treat various diseases and conditions. For example, new treatments for a disease or condition (such as medicines, medical devices, surgeries, or procedures) are tested in volunteers who have the illness. Testing shows whether a treatment is safe and effective in humans before it is made available for widespread use.
By taking part in a clinical trial, you can gain access to new treatments before they’re widely available. You also will have the support of a team of health care providers, who will likely monitor your health closely. Even if you don’t directly benefit from the results of a clinical trial, the information gathered can help others and add to scientific knowledge.
If you volunteer for a clinical trial, the research will be explained to you in detail. You’ll learn about treatments and tests you may receive, and the benefits and risks they may pose. You’ll also be given a chance to ask questions about the research. This process is called informed consent.
If you agree to take part in the trial, you’ll be asked to sign an informed consent form. This form is not a contract. You have the right to withdraw from a study at any time, for any reason. Also, you have the right to learn about new risks or findings that emerge during the trial.
For more information about clinical trials related to palpitations, talk with your doctor. You also can visit the following Web sites to learn more about clinical research and to search for clinical trials:
For more information about clinical trials for children, visit the NHLBI’s Children and Clinical Studies Web page.
Source: NHLBI, NIH