The Truth About Heart Murmurs

A heart murmur is an extra or unusual sound heard during your heartbeat.
Murmurs range from very faint to very loud and sometimes sound like a whooshing
or swishing noise. Normal heartbeat sounds–”lub-DUPP” or “lub-DUB”–are the
sounds of valves closing as blood moves through the heart. (Go to the section on
“How the Heart Works” for more information about how the normal heart
works.)

A heart murmur is not a disease; it is a sound that the doctor hears with the
stethoscope. It may be normal for your child, or it could be a sign that
something may be wrong. Most heart murmurs are harmless. Some are a sign of a
heart problem, especially if other signs or symptoms of a heart problem are
present.

TYPES OF MURMURS

Innocent (harmless) murmurs. A person with an innocent murmur has a
normal heart and usually has no other symptoms or signs of a heart problem.
Innocent murmurs are common in healthy children.

Abnormal murmurs. A person with an abnormal murmur usually has other
signs or symptoms of a heart problem. Most abnormal murmurs in children are due
to congenital heart disease–heart defects present at birth. In adults, abnormal
murmurs are most often due to heart valve problems caused by infection, disease,
or aging.

OTHER NAMES FOR HEART MURMURS

INNOCENT HEART MURMURS

• Normal heart murmurs
• Benign heart murmurs
• Functional heart murmurs
• Physiologic heart murmurs
• Still’s murmur
• Flow murmur

ABNORMAL HEART MURMURS

• Pathologic heart murmurs

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