What is a heart murmur?
It is a sound that is perceived when listening to the heart by means of a phonendoscope (cardiac auscultation). When we listen to the heart we perceive a first tone, “pum”, followed by a silence (systole), a second tone, “second pum”, followed by another silence (diastole).
The heart murmur is perceived by altering one of the two phases of silence, that is, during systole or contraction of the ventricles of the heart or during diastole or the phase of relaxation and filling of the ventricles with blood. Its location allows us to qualify it as a systolic or diastolic murmur.
The murmur owes its name to the characteristics of the perceived sound, which is usually reminiscent of a murmur.
How is a heart murmur diagnosed?
The detection of a heart murmur is easy by means of a stethoscope. The most important thing is to establish the cause that is provoking that sound that we should not hear.
The educated ear of the specialist can fairly accurately approximate the cause of the heart murmur and differentiate whether it is a benign or innocent heart murmur or whether it is due to a cardiac pathology. However, the most accurate diagnosis is obtained by color Doppler echocardiography, which allows detailed study of the anatomy and function of the heart and great vessels. There are also more powerful and sophisticated imaging techniques such as Cardio-Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Angio-CT which are reserved for the diagnosis of very complex heart disease.
How can it be treated?
In the case of innocent murmurs, also called benign or functional murmurs, there is no cardiac abnormality and the perceived sound is simply due to the movement of blood through the cardiovascular structures. They do not require, therefore, any type of treatment or cardiological controls. In the case of organic murmurs, in which there is a cardiovascular anomaly (a narrowed valve, a hole in the septum between the ventricles, etc.), treatment may be required, either by surgery or by therapeutic catheterization.
Medications are also available to help the heart in certain situations. Nowadays, practically all heart diseases have treatment possibilities, either palliative, in the most complex situations (lack of development of a ventricle, an artery or a valve…), or, in the best of cases, completely corrective.
Can it be prevented?
Prevention should focus on the acquisition of so-called cardio-healthy lifestyle habits, avoiding the consumption of toxic substances, especially social drugs such as alcohol and tobacco, and a sedentary lifestyle and obesity with regular physical exercise, which will also reduce the risk of other chronic diseases that affect cardiovascular health, such as diabetes and arterial hypertension.
These habits will delay or prevent the appearance of cardiovascular anomalies that can generate organic murmurs acquired with age and, in addition, will contribute to a better quality of life for patients who have already undergone surgery for congenital malformations.