Tuesday, January 8, 2008

HEART MURMUR

The benign murmurs are usually not associated with any other condition and most people lead normal and productive lives and still have normal cardiac function that usually does not cause future problems. In essence, the heart is a healthy one but just has irregular flow of blood that makes the murmur sound. Most people with this type do not have to restrict activities like eating, exercise, or other ones. Often doctors hear murmurs during a physical exam as they use the sthethoscope to listen to the sounds of the heart. They can have further tests to determine the type of murmur it actually is. They may have echocardiograms, which is where a device is placed on the body over the heart and moved around to "paint" (record) a picture of the heart on a machine & it shows what's going on as the heart pumps blood out from its chambers and valves;
So, remember most heart murmurs do not require any treatment--no medicine, surgery, or anything like that; but doctors do like to periodically evaluate the murmur just to make sure the heart murmur hasn't changed and that the heart is still functioning well. But, it's always important to try to use your healthy lifestyle habits like proper nutrition, no smoking, regular exercise to keep the heart strong and healthy. BUT, if the murmur is caused from a birth defect or the valves become severly diseased, then other treatments are needed including medicines. Most of the time, even with "normal" murmurs (no treatment needed), you do have to take antibiotics for procedures such as such as when you go to the dentist for routine cleanings, fillings, and other things or any type of other surgery.But, remember that most murmurs are not serious and many people have them and lead normal lives. Just if you are identified with a murmur, your doctor will certainly monitor it throughout your life. In fact, I found out I had a "normal" murmur when I was about 20 years old, and I'm healthy and have never had any problems. So, I hope this answered your question, and if you too have a murmur, try not to worry and just let your doctor evaluate it and determine if any treatment is necessary. BUT, keep in mind, very few people have serious heart murmurs resulting from major defects and very few people need treatment.

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