Is it possible to develop a heart murmur over time, and if so, what can cause th!
Question: Is it possible to develop a heart murmur over time, and if so, what can cause that to happen!?
I am 36!. Of all the checkups I've had in my life, all the times a doctor put a stethescope to my chest, only this last time has one of them said to me that I have a heart murmur!.
Makes me wonder!. Apparently, either I didn't have one before, or it was nevr noticed until now!. Likely, I didn't have it before!.
What causes heart murmurs that people *are not* born with!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
Makes me wonder!. Apparently, either I didn't have one before, or it was nevr noticed until now!. Likely, I didn't have it before!.
What causes heart murmurs that people *are not* born with!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
Hello,
Mind if I start with some background stuff, - -
Clearly heart murmurs are important if they represent some form of heart disease or some impaired heart function!. You are making the important distinction between 'congenital' heart disease (which you are born with), and 'acquired' heart disease (which develops during life)!.
Heart murmurs of either origin, are 'extra' noises which you can hear with a stethoscope at the front of the chest, as you say!. They have a 'prolonged' quality to them, - - although they can then be described as 'long' or 'short' murmurs, - - and also usually a 'rushing' or 'wooshing' quality to them!.
I'd like to remind you that the 4 'heart valve noises' you normally hear,
the famous 'lub - dup,' - - represent the noise of these valves snapping shut!. Normally the opening of the valves is very quiet, producing no audible sound, and the flow of blood through them is also inaudible!.
OK then, - - the idea of these 4 heart valves is that they allow one-way blood-flow only!. When they snap shut, that should seal off the flow of blood and prevent blood that has just been pumped, from leaking back to where it came from!.
If for any reason the valves are 'leaky,' this allows some blood to leak back after the valve shuts, or 'regurgitate' as doctors have it!. This is an abnormal, turbulent blood-flow, and creates the sound described as a 'murmur!.'
Hence for each valve we have the murmur of : (1) mitral valve regurgitation; (2) tricuspid valve regurgitation; (3) aortic valve regurgitation; and (4) pulmonary valve regurgitation!.
The opposite of this, also produces a valve murmur!. If the valve-leaves are stuck together for any reason, - - or 'stenotic' as doctors like to say, - - the passage of blood through them, when they open, is no longer silent, but a prolonged turbulent sound called a murmur!.
Hence the murmurs of (1) mitral valve stenosis; (2) tricuspid valve stenosis; (3) aortic valve stenosis; (4) pulmonary valve stenosis!.
In broad terms these regurgitant, and stenotic, valve murmurs are the main types of acquired heart murmur, and represent broadly some damage to the heart valve in question!.
By far and away the commonest cause of heart valve damage, when I was a medical student in the late 1960's, - - was 'Rheumatic Heart Disease,' caused by contracting Rheumatic Fever!. This is pretty much unknown these days!.
It's possible for valves to become 'clogged up' with deposits of cholesterol, and this is what the previous answerer referred to as arteriosclerosis of the valves!. This might lead to stenotic, or sometimes regurgitant, murmurs!.
Another modern cause is 'sub-acute bacterial endocarditis,' - - I'm afraid it has no common name, - - ('S!.A!.B!.E!.'), - - which is essentially an inflammation of the inside lining of the heart, caused by a germ infection, which is carried around in the blood and decides to 'set up shop' in the heart!. This inflammation can damage the valves!.
Also more modern, - - using intravenous drugs can cause heart murmurs (not something I am implying you do), because a lot of drug abusers grind up tablets and try to dissolve them, before injecting the resulting solution!. The salts can then come 'out of solution' in the body and gum up the heart valves!.
I think you should ask for this murmur to be clarified!. There is such a thing as an 'innocent' heart murmur, where a murmur does not represent any structural problem, but the turbulent blood-noise is caused by such things as really-high blood-flow rates, (in competition athletes, for example)!.
If it is an 'innocent' (also known as a 'functional') murmur, there is no problem!. However, it it were mine I would want to have S!.A!.B!.E!. and significant arteriosclerosis, ruled out!.
That's because there are treatments, - - antibiotics for S!.A!.B!.E, and 'Statin' tablets for arteriosclerosis!.
I should draw your attention to one further phenomenon, that is 'observer error!.' A very soft, (or 'grade one' - - out of 5 grades, grade 5 being loudest) murmur, may be reported by one doctor but not detected at all by another!. In general the louder the murmur, the greater the problem of turbulent flow somewhere inside the heart, and so the more serious the problem, - - so 'grade one' murmurs also tend to be the innocent or functional ones!.
I suggest you return to your doctor and ask, 'can you still hear it!?' If he/she can, I recommend asking to be referred to a 'Cardiologist!.' Also, maybe ask to have your blood-fat levels measured, (blood test)!.
I hope this is of some help, and clarifies the subject a bit!.
Best wishes,
Belliger (retired uk gp)Www@Answer-Health@Com
Mind if I start with some background stuff, - -
Clearly heart murmurs are important if they represent some form of heart disease or some impaired heart function!. You are making the important distinction between 'congenital' heart disease (which you are born with), and 'acquired' heart disease (which develops during life)!.
Heart murmurs of either origin, are 'extra' noises which you can hear with a stethoscope at the front of the chest, as you say!. They have a 'prolonged' quality to them, - - although they can then be described as 'long' or 'short' murmurs, - - and also usually a 'rushing' or 'wooshing' quality to them!.
I'd like to remind you that the 4 'heart valve noises' you normally hear,
the famous 'lub - dup,' - - represent the noise of these valves snapping shut!. Normally the opening of the valves is very quiet, producing no audible sound, and the flow of blood through them is also inaudible!.
OK then, - - the idea of these 4 heart valves is that they allow one-way blood-flow only!. When they snap shut, that should seal off the flow of blood and prevent blood that has just been pumped, from leaking back to where it came from!.
If for any reason the valves are 'leaky,' this allows some blood to leak back after the valve shuts, or 'regurgitate' as doctors have it!. This is an abnormal, turbulent blood-flow, and creates the sound described as a 'murmur!.'
Hence for each valve we have the murmur of : (1) mitral valve regurgitation; (2) tricuspid valve regurgitation; (3) aortic valve regurgitation; and (4) pulmonary valve regurgitation!.
The opposite of this, also produces a valve murmur!. If the valve-leaves are stuck together for any reason, - - or 'stenotic' as doctors like to say, - - the passage of blood through them, when they open, is no longer silent, but a prolonged turbulent sound called a murmur!.
Hence the murmurs of (1) mitral valve stenosis; (2) tricuspid valve stenosis; (3) aortic valve stenosis; (4) pulmonary valve stenosis!.
In broad terms these regurgitant, and stenotic, valve murmurs are the main types of acquired heart murmur, and represent broadly some damage to the heart valve in question!.
By far and away the commonest cause of heart valve damage, when I was a medical student in the late 1960's, - - was 'Rheumatic Heart Disease,' caused by contracting Rheumatic Fever!. This is pretty much unknown these days!.
It's possible for valves to become 'clogged up' with deposits of cholesterol, and this is what the previous answerer referred to as arteriosclerosis of the valves!. This might lead to stenotic, or sometimes regurgitant, murmurs!.
Another modern cause is 'sub-acute bacterial endocarditis,' - - I'm afraid it has no common name, - - ('S!.A!.B!.E!.'), - - which is essentially an inflammation of the inside lining of the heart, caused by a germ infection, which is carried around in the blood and decides to 'set up shop' in the heart!. This inflammation can damage the valves!.
Also more modern, - - using intravenous drugs can cause heart murmurs (not something I am implying you do), because a lot of drug abusers grind up tablets and try to dissolve them, before injecting the resulting solution!. The salts can then come 'out of solution' in the body and gum up the heart valves!.
I think you should ask for this murmur to be clarified!. There is such a thing as an 'innocent' heart murmur, where a murmur does not represent any structural problem, but the turbulent blood-noise is caused by such things as really-high blood-flow rates, (in competition athletes, for example)!.
If it is an 'innocent' (also known as a 'functional') murmur, there is no problem!. However, it it were mine I would want to have S!.A!.B!.E!. and significant arteriosclerosis, ruled out!.
That's because there are treatments, - - antibiotics for S!.A!.B!.E, and 'Statin' tablets for arteriosclerosis!.
I should draw your attention to one further phenomenon, that is 'observer error!.' A very soft, (or 'grade one' - - out of 5 grades, grade 5 being loudest) murmur, may be reported by one doctor but not detected at all by another!. In general the louder the murmur, the greater the problem of turbulent flow somewhere inside the heart, and so the more serious the problem, - - so 'grade one' murmurs also tend to be the innocent or functional ones!.
I suggest you return to your doctor and ask, 'can you still hear it!?' If he/she can, I recommend asking to be referred to a 'Cardiologist!.' Also, maybe ask to have your blood-fat levels measured, (blood test)!.
I hope this is of some help, and clarifies the subject a bit!.
Best wishes,
Belliger (retired uk gp)Www@Answer-Health@Com
There are so many causes!. Depending on what kind of heart murmur you have there are different causes!. If you are not born with a septal defect in your heart, it's probably the valve problem that has caused the murmur!.
It can be mitral/tricuspid/aortic/pulmonary stenosis/regurgitation!.
They can be differentiated by the nature of the murmur!. E!.g!. whether it's systolic or diastolic murmur!. Pansystolic murmur heard at the apex radiating to the axilla would suggest a Mitral Regurgitation!. A full history, physical examination, and investigation including echocardiogram would help too!.
Common etiology of these valvular defects include degenerative changes, endocarditis, rheumatic heart disease, ischemic heart disease, etc!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
It can be mitral/tricuspid/aortic/pulmonary stenosis/regurgitation!.
They can be differentiated by the nature of the murmur!. E!.g!. whether it's systolic or diastolic murmur!. Pansystolic murmur heard at the apex radiating to the axilla would suggest a Mitral Regurgitation!. A full history, physical examination, and investigation including echocardiogram would help too!.
Common etiology of these valvular defects include degenerative changes, endocarditis, rheumatic heart disease, ischemic heart disease, etc!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
The heart valves get stiff with atherosclerosis!. Causes murmurs!.
Infection in heart valves; or rupture of chords that hold them (very rare)!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Infection in heart valves; or rupture of chords that hold them (very rare)!.Www@Answer-Health@Com