Heart murmurs in pediatric

HEART MURMURS IN PEDIATRIC

A heart murmur is a sound that develops from blood flowing such as when it is passing through a problematic heart valve. It can also be a condition that increases heartbeat forcing the heart to handle more blood and quickly than usual. Heart murmurs in a pediatric are those that occur to patients are under 18 years.

Most are innocent and do not require treatment, but not all cases should go untreated. Some murmurs can occur due to overworking or damage of the valve at birth or later in life. These need the attention of a doctor.

Types of Heart Murmurs in Pediatric Age

Pediatrics can get one of these two types of heart murmurs.

Innocent heart murmurs

An innocent murmur occurs when blood flows through the heart at a higher than average pace. A person having an innocent murmur has a properly functioning heart. It usually occurs in newborns and younger children. These conditions might cause a rapid flow of blood through the heart resulting in an innocent heart murmur.

  • Exercising or other physical activity

  • Pregnancy

  • Fever

  • The excess amount of a thyroid hormone in the body (Hyperthyroidism)

  • Inadequate number of healthy red blood cells to transport adequate oxygen to all body tissues (anemia)

  • Phases of rapid growth such as adolescence

  • Innocent heart murmurs might disappear with time or last for an entire life without causing other health problems.

Abnormal heart murmurs

Abnormal murmurs are more risky to overall health and occur due to congenital heart disease at birth. The congenital disabilities below are the common causes of abnormal heart murmurs.

  1. Cardiac shunts or holes in the heart: Cardiac shunts occur due to development of significant blood flow between the blood vessels or heart chambers leading to a heart murmur. The location or size of holes in the heart also known as septal defects determines their risk.

  2. Heart valve abnormalities: these are defects present in a baby at birth, but sometimes nobody discovers them until later in life. Examples of anomalies include valves that fail to let enough blood to flow through (stenosis) or those that leak for failing to close properly (regurgitate).

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Risk Factors for Heart Murmurs In Pediatric

These risk factors might not be a direct cause or murmurs but will increase chances of development.

  • A history of heart defects in the family increases chances that a child will be born with the condition

  • Certain medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure in the lungs, hypertension and carcinoid syndrome can increase the risk of developing a heart murmur in later stages of life.

  • Illnesses during pregnancy such as rubella infection or uncontrollable diabetes

  • Taking alcohol, narcotics or certain prescription medications by expectant women can harm a developing fetus leading to heart defects the, in turn, trigger the murmurs

It is wise to visit a pediatrician for a urine test to determine if a child is suffering from a form of urinary tract infection that could cause bedwetting. A doctor may also order other tests to assess the health status of a child and prescribe the appropriate medicine if he finds that the child has a UTI infection.

Treatment of Heart Murmurs In Pediatric

Innocent heart murmurs could be harmless and will not require, but it is necessary to prescribe a medical remedy if an underlying health condition like high blood pressure cause abnormal heart murmurs. A doctor will diagnose the cause and prescribe medication to treat the valve condition that is causing the murmurs.

  • Medicine to prevent blood clotting, control palpitations or irregular heartbeat and lower blood pressure

  • Diuretics to remove excess water and salt from the body and make it easier for the heart to pump

  • Surgery to correct particular types of heart valve illness

  • Surgery to correct heart defect at birth.

Prevention of Heart Murmurs In Pediatric

Preventing heart murmurs in most instances is impossible. The exception is that you can stop them before they begin by treating illnesses that are likely to cause the murmurs such as high blood pressure. Avoiding heart valve infection also contributes to keeping any heart murmurs at bay.