Are heart murmurs normal in teens?

Innocent heart murmurs are most common kind of heart murmurs in children and teenagers. It’s thought that at least half of all children have them. They sometimes happen because of fever or infection, and they usually disappear when your child is well again. Abnormal heart murmurs are more serious.

What age do heart murmurs go away?

Over two-thirds of school-age children may have an innocent murmur. They may get louder if a child is excited, stressed, or ill. Many disappear as the child grows, although some do last into adulthood. Your doctor can detect these murmurs by simply listening to your child’s heart with a stethoscope.

Do childhood heart murmurs go away?

Many heart murmurs are normal, extra sounds in children with strong, healthy hearts. These children don’t need treatment. Some of these heart murmurs may go away on their own with time. If the murmur is from a congenital heart defect, treatment may include medicine, procedures, or surgery.

What murmurs increase with expiration?

Left sided murmurs are usually louder with expiration. Right-sided ones are quieter.

What should I avoid with a heart murmur?

6 tips to prevent abnormal heart murmurs

Eat a healthy diet.
Exercise regularly.
Quit smoking.
Cut down on alcohol.
Keep pre-existing illnesses, such as high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol, under control.

Can a 4 year old hear a heart murmur?

Innocent murmurs are very common! Some pediatric cardiologists estimate a heart murmur can be heard in 90 percent of children with anatomically normal hearts between the ages of 4-7 years.

Can a person with an innocent murmur have a normal heart?

A person with an innocent murmur has a normal heart. This type of heart murmur is common in newborns and children. An innocent murmur can occur when blood flows more rapidly than normal through the heart.

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.

What kind of test to do for heart murmur in children?

Usually the pediatric cardiologist will obtain an electrocardiogram (test that records the heart’s electrical activity — also called an ECG or EKG) as part of the evaluation of a heart murmur. There are many characteristic sounds the heart can generate which will almost always allow characterization of a murmur as “innocent” or not.

How old can a child be to have a heart murmur?

Innocent murmurs are very common! Some pediatric cardiologists estimate a heart murmur can be heard in 90 percent of children with anatomically normal hearts between the ages of 4-7 years. What if my child has a murmur that is not innocent?

When does a normal heart murmur get louder?

A normal murmur can get louder when the blood flows faster through the heart, like when kids have a fever or run around. That’s because an increase in body temperature or activity makes the heart pump more blood.