Heart Murmur: Symptoms & Signs

Medically Reviewed on 1/29/2020

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

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

IMAGES

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References
Jameson, J. Larry, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 20th Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education, 2018.