Murmurs are blowing, whooshing, or rasping sounds produced by turbulent blood flow through the heart valves or near the heart.
Alternative Names
Chest sounds - murmurs; Heart sounds - abnormal
Considerations
A doctor can check heart sounds by listening with a stethoscope. These sounds can be further tested with an echocardiogram to find the exact cause of the murmur.
The heart has four chambers -- two upper chambers (atria) and two lower chambers (ventricles). The heart has valves that temporarily close to limit blood flow to only one direction. The valves are located between the atria and ventricles, and between the ventricles and the major vessels from the heart.
Normal heart sounds are called S1 and S2. They are the "lubb-dupp" sounds that are thought of as the heartbeat. These sounds occur when the heart valves close.
Because the heart is also divided into a "right side" and a "left side," sometimes these sounds may be somewhat divided. Most commonly noted is a "split S2," caused when the right and left ventricles relax, and valves close at very slightly different times. This is normal, but occasionally the nature of the split can indicate an abnormality, such as enlargement of one of the ventricles.
Murmurs occur when a valve does not close tightly (such as with mitral regurgitation) and blood leaks backward, or when the blood flows through a narrowed or stiff valve (such as with aortic stenosis).
A murmur does not necessarily indicate a disease or disorder, and not all heart disorders cause murmurs. Murmurs are classified ("graded") depending on their ability to be heard by the examiner.
Cyanotic heart disease (5 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Cyanotic heart disease is a¿heart¿defect, present at birth (congenital),¿that results in low blood oxygen levels. There may be more than one defect. The defect affects the structure or function of the heart or vessels. Reviewer: Alan Berger, MD, Assistant Professor, Divisions of Cardiology and Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN. Review providedby VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 06/02/2006
Pulmonary valve stenosis (3 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
Pulmonary valve stenosis is a condition, usually present at birth (congenital), in which outflow of blood from the right ventricle (lower chamber) of the heart is obstructed at the level of the pulmonic valve (the valve which separates the heart from the pulmonary artery. Reviewer: J.A. Lee, M.D., Division of Surgery, UCSF, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 05/30/2006
Heart disease (3 images)(Doctor-Reviewed information)
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