Childen's Hospital Boston
International Visitorsdotted lineRequest Appointmentdotted lineDirections
 advanced search
About Us Find a Specialist Locations Careers Press Room Giving To
Clinical Services For Patients & Families For Health Professionals Research
My Child Has
or find by letter:  A-F  G-L  M-R  S-Z
My Child Has...
X
Home Heart Murmur
FlowerHeart Murmur
Programs that treat this condition
Adult Congenital Heart Service   Cardiac Psychiatry Program  
Cardiology Outpatient Services  
What is a heart murmur?
Murmurs are sounds made by blood circulating through the heart's chambers or valves, or through blood vessels near the heart.
What causes a heart murmur?
Heart murmurs may be caused by a number of factors or diseases, including the following:
  • defective heart valves
  • holes in the heart walls
  • surgical repair of congenital (present at birth) heart defects
  • fever
  • anemia (a decrease in the red cells in the blood)
What are the different types of murmurs?
Your child's physician will evaluate a murmur based on several factors. Murmurs are analyzed for pitch, loudness and duration. They also are graded according to their intensity (on a scale of one to six, with one being very faint and six being very loud).
Types of murmurs include the following:
  • Systolic Murmur — A heart murmur that occurs during a heart muscle contraction. Systolic murmurs are divided into ejection murmurs (due to blood flow through a narrowed vessel or irregular valve) and regurgitant murmurs.
  • Diastolic Murmur — A heart murmur that occurs during heart muscle relaxation between beats. Diastolic murmurs are due to a narrowing of the mitral or tricuspid valves, or regurgitation of the aortic or pulmonary valves.
  • Continuous Murmur — A heart murmur that occurs throughout the cardiac cycle.
Murmurs related to a congenital (present at birth) heart defect or other problem involving the heart structures will be heard the loudest in the area of the chest where the problem occurs.
Do all murmurs signify heart disease?
Not all heart murmurs are symptoms of heart disease. Sometimes a murmur may be heard in a normal child who has a fever or who is anemic; these murmurs often go away when the underlying problem is treated.

Some children have what is known as an innocent murmur. These murmurs are not related to congenital heart defects, and usually resolve by the time a child reaches adulthood. If your child's physician hears an innocent murmur, he/she may want to perform additional tests to ensure a heart defect is not present. A child with an innocent murmur can live a normal life and be as active as any other healthy child.

What is the latest research on heart murmurs?
Complementing the Cardiovascular Program of Children's Hospital Boston is the nation's most intensive clinical and basic research program focused on pediatric heart disease. Children's is a world leader in opening new avenues of "translational research," bringing laboratory advances to the bedside and doctor's office as quickly as possible. All senior medical staff members of the Cardiovascular Program participate in clinical research activities.
Contact Children's Hospital Boston Cardiovascular Program physicians for a second opinion.
X
Email this page
Printer Friendly
 X
Children's Hospital Boston is the primary pediatric teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School
Contact Us Site Map Privacy Accessibility Give Now
Children's Hospital Boston300 Longwood AvenueBoston, MA 02115(617) 355-6000 © 2005-2007 All rights reserved