Does having a heart murmur shorten your life?

Does having a heart murmur shorten your life?

Innocent heart murmurs may disappear over time, or they may last your entire life without ever causing further health problems.

Does having a heart murmur affect your heart rate?

The “murmur” is the sound of blood flowing. It may be passing through an abnormal heart valve, for instance. Or it may be that a condition makes your heart beat faster and forces your heart to handle more blood quicker than normal.

What percentage of heart murmurs are serious?

If you have been told you have a heart murmur, it is more than likely an innocent murmur, or completely harmless. “About 10 percent of adults and 30 percent of children (most between the ages of 3 and 7) have a harmless murmur,” says Dr. Agrawal. “The key is to find the harmful murmurs.

What is a heart murmur caused by?

A heart murmur is an extra noise heard during a heartbeat. The noise is caused when blood does not flow smoothly through the heart. Heart murmurs can be innocent (harmless) or abnormal (caused by a heart problem). Some causes are fever, anemia, or heart valve disease.

Can you live a long life with a heart murmur?

If you or your child has an innocent heart murmur, you can live a completely normal life. It will not cause you any problems and is not a sign of an issue with your heart. If you have a murmur along with any of the following symptoms, see your doctor: You are very tired.

Can a heart murmur be fixed?

Surgeries for heart murmurs often include valve repair and valve replacement. These surgeries treat the underlying valve problems in your heart that are causing the murmur. If you do need surgery, your cardiothoracic surgeon will try to make sure your surgery is as minimally invasive as possible.

Why do I have a murmur in my Heart?

Some heart murmurs are caused by a thicker than normal heart. When the heart muscle grows too large, it can get in the way of normal blood flow and cause a murmur.

Can a valve replacement cause a heart murmur?

An adult may develop a murmur as they age, which may be a sign of a problem with the heart. Procedures performed on the heart, such as a valve replacement surgery, can create new heart sounds that were not present before.

What’s the difference between an innocent murmur and an abnormal murmur?

A heart murmur that is present in a normal and healthy heart is called an innocent murmur. These murmurs are common in infants and children, who can outgrow their heart murmurs completely. Adults may also have innocent murmurs. The other type of heart murmur, an abnormal murmur, is a sign of heart disease.

Can a heart murmur be caused by a septal defect?

Holes in the heart or cardiac shunts. Known as septal defects, holes in the heart may or may not be serious, depending on the size of the hole and its location. Cardiac shunts occur when there’s an abnormal blood flow between the heart chambers or blood vessels, which may lead to a heart murmur.