Heart murmur

Murmurs are extra heart sounds that are produced as a result of turbulent blood flow that is sufficient to produce audible noise. Murmurs range from very faint to very loud. Sometimes they sound like a whooshing or swishing noise. Heart murmurs can be present at birth (congenital) or develop later in life. A heart murmur isn't a disease — but murmurs may indicate an underlying heart problem.

There are two main types of heart murmurs: diastolic and systolic. A diastolic murmur occurs when the heart muscle relaxes between beats. It occurs after the second heart sound. A systolic murmur occurs between the first and second heart sounds.


  It is important to have regular physical exams to detect any abnormal heart sounds. If a murmur is heard, further evaluation will be required to determine why the murmur is present, which valve is involved, and the severity of the problem.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Heart Murmurs?

Most people with heart murmurs do not have any other signs and symptoms of a heart problem. The murmur is usually innocent (harmless).

Some people with heart murmurs do have signs and symptoms of a heart problem. The signs and symptoms may include:

• Blue coloring of the skin, especially on the fingertips and inside the mouth
• Poor eating and failure to grow normally (in infants)
• Fast breathing
• Excessive sweating
• Chest pain
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Fainting
• Fatigue (feeling very tired)

The signs and symptoms depend on the cause and the severity of the problem causing the murmur.