In the A Woman’s Heart series, we’ve been focusing on heart disease, identifying and recognizing risk factors as well as what we can to do to beat the odds and not become one of the heart disease statistics. This series has been exciting to me (and I hope to all my sisters out there as well) because I’ve been taking a long, hard look at my own life and am making changes. As Martha Stewart would say, “It’s a good thing!”
I never was much good at card games. I almost always drew the wrong card from the deck. Unfortunately, sometimes there are forms of heart disease, or other heart problems, for which there is either nothing or little we could have done to prevent it. We just simply drew the wrong card from the deck. Heart murmurs fall into the luck-of-the-draw category.
I have to confess that while I knew children were often born with heart murmurs (congenital heart murmurs), I didn’t realize that you can develop a heart murmur later in life. Depending on the type and cause, it might, or might not, be serious. So, how do you know when to be concerned?
What exactly is a heart murmur anyway?
When a doctor listens to your heart with a stethoscope, he is able to hear the sounds of your heart valves closing as the blood moves through the heart. This process is what makes our “heart beat” sound (you know- the “thump-thump” sound). Basically, a heart murmur is a sound that is out of place – doesn’t belong - or is unusual in some manner.
Is a heart murmur a form of heart disease?
No! Not at all. A heart murmur is not a heart disease. Unlike arteriosclerosis, we can’t go on a diet, work out three times a week, take statins, drink pomegranate juice, or do any of those other great proactive things to prevent developing a heart murmur.
Is a heart murmur serious?
Ahhh…. Now that’s the twenty-four thousand dollar question isn’t it? The answer is – it depends. While a heart murmur is not a heart disease, it may indicate that you have some type of undiagnosed heart problem. Whether or not it’s an indicator of a more serious problem depends on what type of heart murmur you have.
What kinds of heart murmurs are there?
There are two basic types of heart murmurs: innocent (and ladies – don’t you just love that name? Can you guess whether or not this is a “good” or “bad” type of heart murmur?) and abnormal.
What is an “innocent” heart murmur?
The name really gives this one away. If you have an innocent heart murmur, your heart is normal and the murmur is harmless. Innocent heart murmurs generally don’t require any treatment and you probably won’t have any symptoms. Other names for innocent heart murmur include: benign heart murmur, functional heart murmur, physiologic heart murmur, Still’s murmur and Flow murmurs.
Who gets an innocent heart murmur?
You’ll see a lot of innocent heart murmurs in children or babies. However, adults can develop an innocent heart murmur as well.
What causes an innocent heart murmur?
If your blood is flowing more rapidly through your heart, you may develop an innocent heart murmur. Exercise can cause this. Many pregnant women develop an innocent heart murmur during pregnancy due to the extra blood that they make during pregnancy. Sometimes, an innocent heart murmur may develop as the result of another condition such as: fever, anemia, or hyperthyroidism. Also, sometimes it may occur just as a normal part of the aging process.
How do you treat an innocent heart murmur?
Because your heart is normal, an innocent heart murmur generally doesn’t require any treatment. However, if your heart murmur is caused by another condition, your doctor will probably treat the underlying condition. The heart murmur should resolve once the underlying condition is treated. Innocent heart murmurs that present during pregnancy also generally go away at the end of the pregnancy. Sometimes, you may have an innocent heart murmur for a lifetime but experience no problems because you heart is normal.
If you have a heart murmur, it’s important that you see a cardiologist so that the type of murmur can be properly diagnosed and treated, if necessary. Next week, we’ll take a look at abnormal heart murmurs.
Until then, here’s wishing you a healthy heart.
(Disclaimer: I am not a physician and nothing in this article should be construed as giving medical advice. As with any medical decision, please consult your physician.)
Note: For more information on heart health related issues, please visit other “A Woman’s Heart” articles by this author.
Sources:
Heart Murmurs, The Mayo Clinic, 12 Apr 2008, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-murmurs/DS00727/DSECTION=causes
Heart Murmurs: What is a Heart Murmur?, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, June 2008, http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/heartmurmur/hmurmur_what.html