Heart murmur

A heart murmur is an abnormal sound heard between the sounds of your regular heartbeat (usually heard as 'lub-dub'). It may sound like a 'swishing' or 'whooshing' noise. The abnormal sounds are caused by blood flowing through your heart.

A heart murmur may be first noticed when a doctor or other healthcare professional listens to your heart using a stethoscope.

Heart murmurs might be present at birth (congenital) or develop later in life.

Heart murmurs can either be harmless (also known as 'innocent' heart murmurs) or be a sign of an underlying heart problem.

Innocent heart murmurs

Innocent murmurs can be caused by:

• situations that increase your heart rate and blood flow
• a fever
• hyperthyroidism
• low iron levels (anaemia)

Abnormal murmurs

Abnormal heart murmurs are caused by a problem with the structure of your heart or a problem with your heart valves.

Heart valve problems may involve:

• stenosis — heart valves that are narrowed or stiff
• regurgitation — heart valves that don't close properly, causing blood to flow in the wrong direction

These heart valve problems can be caused by:

• getting older
• heart muscle damage from a heart attack
• cardiomyopathy — a condition that affects your heart muscle
• rheumatic heart disease
• endocarditis — an infection of the inner lining of the heart and its valves
• genetic or anatomical (physical) differences in heart valves

See your doctor if you think you may have a heart murmur so they can try to identify the cause.

If you think your child has symptoms of a heart murmur, take them to see a doctor.

If you need to see your doctor but cannot wait for an appointment, you may be able to get treatment at a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic.

When to seek urgent care

You should seek urgent help from a doctor if you are experiencing:

• difficulty breathing at rest or with small amounts of effort
• chest pain
• feeling faint or dizzy

If you are with someone who is unconscious, call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance, then start CPR if they stop breathing.

Your doctor might first identify a heart murmur during a regular check-up when listening to your heart with a stethoscope.

If your doctor hears a murmur, they may recommend some of the following tests to find out if your heart murmur is innocent or abnormal:

• An electrocardiogram (ECG) records your heart's electrical activity.
• A chest x-ray checks if your heart is bigger than normal, or if you have other signs of heart problems.
• An echocardiogram is a heart ultrasound.
• A coronary angiogram uses dye to help your doctor see your coronary arteries on x-ray.

Innocent heart murmurs do not usually need treatment.

If your heart murmur is abnormal, you may need treatment. If your murmur is caused by:

• heart disease — you may need medicines, such as beta-blockers and blood thinners
• a structural problem in your heart — you may need heart surgery or a catheter procedure

You and your doctor will discuss the treatment options so you can make an informed decision about the best treatment for you.

An abnormal heart murmur can lead to complications such as:

• heart failure
• pulmonary hypertension
• infections of your heart valves
• stroke
• heart arrhythmias

Not all heart murmurs can be prevented, but living a healthy lifestyle can reduce your risk of developing some heart diseases associated with heart murmurs.

Here are some tips to help reduce your risk of heart disease:

• Maintain a healthy body weight and waist circumference.
• Keep physically active.
• Maintain a healthy, balanced diet.
• Quit smoking.
• Reduce your alcohol intake.
• Manage your cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure
• Get enough sleep.

Read about a healthy heart diet.

The Heart Foundation (Opens in new tab) offers information and resources on heart conditions.

Learn more about a healthy heart diet.

For support and information on childhood heart disease, visit HeartKids (Opens in new tab) or call their helpline on 1800 432 785.

Languages other than English

The Heart Foundation has information on heart health (Opens in new tab) available in many community languages.

If you need an interpreter, ask your doctor or call the Translating and Interpreting Service (Opens in new tab) (TIS National) on 131 450.

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

Find an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO) or Affiliate (Opens in new tab) near you.

St Vincent’s Hospital offers Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people heart health information (Opens in new tab).

The Heart Foundation has information on healthy eating (Opens in new tab) for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.