Heart murmur

Heart murmurs can be congenital, i.e. present from birth, or develop later in life. Anyone can be affected: children, teenagers, adults and older people. Heart murmurs are often harmless. Some require no treatment, while others need to be monitored to make sure they are not hiding a more serious disease.

Two types of heart murmur are generally distinguished. Systolic murmur This occurs when the heart contracts to pump blood out to the organs. It may indicate incomplete closure of the mitral valve, the heart valve that separates the left atrium from the left ventricle. Diastolic murmur A diastolic murmur most often corresponds to a narrowing of the aorta. The aortic valves do not close properly, causing blood to flow back into the left ventricle.

If other symptoms are present, heart murmurs may indicate a serious heart problem. These may include: shortness of breath; enlarged neck veins; poor blood oxygenation; loss of appetite; chest pain.

A heart murmur may be functional (or innocent), meaning that it is not caused by any defect and does not require any particular care or special treatment. However, a heart murmur can also be abnormal and reveal an underlying condition. Causes of functional murmurs in babies and children: in newborns and children, this type of heart murmur is very common and will usually disappear as the child grows. It is a benign functional disorder that goes away with growth. It may also persist throughout life, but without ever causing health problems.

Other causes of a heart murmur:

In the case of a functional heart murmur, the blood is probably flowing faster than normal, due in particular to: pregnancy; fever; not having enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the tissues (anaemia); hyperthyroidism; a period of rapid growth, as in adolescence. Causes of a pathological heart murmur: in children, an abnormal murmur is usually caused by congenital heart disease. In adults, it is most often due to a heart valve problem. The causes include: congenital heart disease: ventricular septal defect (VSD), patent ductus arteriosus, coarctation (narrowing) of the aorta, tetralogy of Fallot, etc.; an abnormality of the heart valves, such as calcification (hardening or thickening) that makes it harder for blood to pass through; endocarditis: an infection of the lining of the heart that can seriously damage the heart valves; acute rheumatic fever.

As we have seen, a heart murmur may have no effect on health at all. It can also reveal a heart disorder that may cause certain symptoms. When the doctor identifies a heart murmur, he will therefore carry out a thorough examination to better characterise the cause and make sure there are no harmful consequences. In some cases, heart murmurs can put a strain on the heart.

Naturally, the treatment of a heart murmur depends on its cause. Diagnosing the cause To understand the origin of the heart murmur, the doctor will perform an echocardiogram. This makes it possible to quantify the extent of damage to the heart valves and its consequences for the heart muscle. The doctor may also order other tests, such as a coronary angiography to visualise the coronary arteries. Treating the heart murmur The doctor may prescribe, among other things: medication: anticoagulants, diuretics or beta-blockers, which lower the heart rate and blood pressure; surgery: repair or replacement of a heart valve, closure of an abnormal opening in the heart in the case of heart disease…