Heart Murmur: Symptoms & Signs

A heart murmur is an abnormal sound made by the beating heart.

Other signs and symptoms may or may not accompany a heart murmur, depending on the severity and cause. Associated signs and symptoms can include

• skin that appears blue, especially on the fingertips and lips,
• swelling,
• sudden weight gain,
• shortness of breath,
• chronic cough,
• chest pain,
• dizziness, and
• fainting.

Other symptoms and signs may include

• an enlarged liver,
• enlarged neck veins,
• poor appetite, and
• failure to grow normally (in infants).

Cause of a heart murmur

Turbulent blood flow often causes heart murmurs. Some heart murmurs are not a symptom of serious conditions, while others may be a symptom of heart disease, including congenital heart disease such as septal defects (holes in the walls of the heart) or acquired heart valve problems.

Other heart murmur symptoms and signs

• An Enlarged Liver
• Chest Pain
• Chronic Cough
• Dizziness
• Enlarged Neck Veins
• Failure to Grow Normally (in Infants)
• Fainting
• Poor Appetite
• Shortness of Breath
• Skin That Appears Blue, Especially on the Fingertips and Lips
• Sudden Weight Gain
• Swelling

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Heart Disease: Causes of a Heart Attack See Slideshow