Heart Murmur

What is a heart murmur?

Since it’s unlikely you listen to your heart much, you might not even know what to listen for. With a heart murmur, symptoms aside from the extra heart sound may be your first indication of an underlying health problem. Dr. Balachandran routinely diagnoses and treats:

Systolic murmurs

A systolic murmur happens as the heart’s muscle is contracting. Some occur because of a narrow vessel or irregular valve while others occur because of backward flow of blood as it empties its chambers. 

Diastolic murmurs

Diastolic murmurs happen as the heart muscle relaxes between contractions. They happen because of valve narrowing or regurgitation, which are signs of valve disease. 

Continuous murmurs

Continuous murmurs happen at various points in the heart’s cycle. 

What are the symptoms of a heart murmur?

Since it’s unlikely you listen to your heart much, and you might not even know what to listen for. With a heart murmur, symptoms aside from the extra heart sound may be your first indication of an underlying health problem. Heart murmurs can cause symptoms such as:

• Lightheadedness
• Dizziness
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Loss of consciousness
• Swollen ankles or feet
• Weakness
• Tiredness

Many people with heart murmurs experience no symptoms. If this is the case for you, you may find out about your heart murmur during a routine doctor’s visit when your physician listens to your heart with a stethoscope.  

How is a heart murmur treated?

At Heart and Vascular Clinic, Dr. Balachandran treats heart murmurs after listening with a stethoscope and performing additional tests, like chest X-rays and electrocardiograms, to diagnose the root of the problem. 

Not all heart murmurs require treatment, but Dr. Balachandran might want to keep an eye on the condition over time. If the underlying issue of your heart murmur requires treatment, it may involve:

• Anticoagulants 
• Diuretics 
• Statins
• Beta blockers
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
• Valve repair surgeries
• Valve replacement surgeries

Dr. Balachandran chooses a course of treatment based on the underlying cause of your heart murmur and primarily uses nonsurgical options whenever possible. 

If you have symptoms of a heart murmur or suspect you have one, call Heart and Vascular Clinic or book an appointment online today.