Heart murmurs are a common heart issue. They are caused by turbulent blood inside or near your heart. It is impossible to diagnose this condition without special equipment called a stethoscope. For this reason, if you have symptoms it is necessary to visit a cardiologist. While some murmurs can be harmless, others can be a symptom of serious heart problems. If you have just received a heart murmur diagnosis, you may want to know more about this condition. 

Below are 8 things to know about heart murmurs. 

1. Not all murmurs are dangerous

Anyone can have a heart murmur, but not all of them are dangerous. For example, pregnant women often develop harmless murmurs because of increased blood volume. Athletes whose blood is pumping strongly may also have murmurs that don’t pose health risks. Generally, over 10 percent of adults and 30 percent of children have harmless murmurs. 

If you aren’t sure your heart murmurs are benign, be sure to visit a cardiologist. Murmurs in your heart may also be caused by serious issues like heart valve infection. It can be treated in the early stages, but in most cases, the damaged valve needs to be replaced.

2. The symptoms of heart murmurs

Of course, the patients experience different symptoms depending on the root cause of the murmurs. If you have a harmless murmur you are likely to have no symptoms. But a heart murmur is associated with serious health problems, you may have symptoms like:

• Bluish skin color
• Sudden weight gain
• Enlarged liver
• Chest pain
• Dizziness
• Chronic cough
• Shortness of breath
• Heavy sweating

3. Murmurs can be a sign of heart valve disease

When a murmur is a sign of heart valve disease it can cause a variety of symptoms. The symptoms progress slowly and become more intense over time. Heart murmurs may indicate heart valve disease if you have symptoms like chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, fatigue, weakness, light-headedness, and fainting. 

Even if it seems to you that the symptoms are minor, the condition can actually be serious. For this reason, it is important to discuss with your doctor everything that seems abnormal. 

4. Aging and race place a role in heart murmurs

Another common cause of heart murmurs includes calcification in the aortic valve as people age. With age, calcium leaves your bones and may start moving in the wrong direction. When it accumulates in the aortic valve, it may cause heart murmurs. In this case, a calcified valve has to be replaced. 

Genetics also plays a role in your risk of heart murmurs. About 2 percent of newborns have only 2 cusps in their aorta, instead of three. This can interfere with normal blood flow and cause murmurs. 

5. Birth defects can cause murmurs

Heart murmurs can be present at birth. If the pediatrician listens to a baby’s heart and heart murmurs, the baby may be given an echocardiogram. This helps check for structural abnormalities in the heart and detect the root cause of murmurs. It is often hard to diagnose heart abnormalities while the baby is in the uterus. For this reason, congenital heart defects are only discovered after birth.

6. Listening and ultrasound help diagnose murmurs

Murmurs are usually first diagnosed during a regular physical examination by simply listening to your heart. However, listening isn’t enough to be completely sure. For this reason, the doctor may suggest additional tests like an echocardiogram. This is a special type of ultrasound that helps the doctor see your heart valves, heart muscle, and blood flow. It helps identify the cause of the murmurs. 

7. Treatment depends on the type of murmurs

Treatment for cardiac murmurs can vary depending on the nature and severity of the disease. The treatment of murmurs related to heart valve disease also depends on a number of factors. Children born with a congenital disease may require regular check-ups with cardiologists as they grow. 

In other situations, the treatment may include medications like antibiotics, diuretics, blood thinners, and beta-blockers. For advanced forms of the disease, you may need to have valve replacement surgery or hole closure treatments. 

8. Healthy lifestyle can help with heart murmurs

While anybody can develop a heart murmur or heart valve disease, certain activities, age, and genetics might raise your risk. For this reason, you need to maintain the same healthy practices that you would for general heart health. You should avoid smoking, eat healthy foods, exercise, avoid drugs, and consume alcohol in moderation. 

Besides, you need to manage conditions that can contribute to the development of heart murmur and heart valve disease. These conditions include high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism, and infections.