A heart murmur itself doesn’t need treatment, but sometimes if the murmur is caused by a problem with your heart, then the cause of the murmur may need treatment. In fact, many heart murmurs go away on their own over a few months or years. Learn more about heart murmurs and … Young adults: A murmur could be due to a structural problem that was not diagnosed in childhood, or it could develop due to a heart condition that was acquired later in life, such as the conditions that cause heart murmurs in older adults. 699547. When there’s an extra sound in your heartbeat, that’s a heart murmur. Short, quiet murmurs may be more likely to be benign (meaning they are harmless and no treatment is needed.) With heart murmurs, the characteristic "lub-DUP" S1 and S2 sounds are changed. British Heart Foundation is a registered Charity No. In case of abnormal heart murmurs, the treatment depends on the underlying heart problem. They aren’t dangerous. However, heart murmurs are quite common and are often harmless. According to the article Heart murmurs by the staff of the Mayo Clinic of Rochester, MN, nearly half of all children have a heart murmur at some time in their life. When blood flows normally through the heart valves, it makes a two-beat “lub-lub” sound. If you are unsure, you should err on the side of caution and call emergency medical responders. A heart murmur may be confused with an irregular heartbeat, or tachycardia, but it’s really about the sound that’s being made when blood is flowing through your heart valves. Abnormal murmurs may be a sign of a more serious heart condition. Additional sounds or modified S1 & S2 sounds are auscultated. Your doctor will also look for other signs and symptoms of heart problems and ask about your medical history and whether other family members have had heart murmurs or other heart conditions. Heart murmurs sometimes sound like a whooshing or swishing noise and may be harmless, also called innocent, or abnormal. Detecting a heart murmur in adults. If your physician or healthcare provider detects a heart murmur and recommends follow-up tests, he or she may be concerned about the possibility of a valve problem.Although some heart murmurs indicate heart valve problems, many heart murmurs are considered to be “innocent” or harmless.. What are innocent heart murmurs? When heart valve defects occur in adults, heart murmurs can be the result of age, tumors, or infections. Registered office at Greater London House, 180 Hampstead Road, London NW1 7AW. In many cases, heart murmurs and other abnormal heart sounds can only be detected when your doctor listens to your heart using a stethoscope. The doctor will check where the murmur is in your heart, duration, and when the murmur is heard during the heartbeat. Harmless murmurs may not cause symptoms. The most common types of murmurs in young adults are innocent murmurs, also known as flow murmurs. Learn more about symptoms, treatments, and when you should worry. Registered as a Company limited by guarantee in England & Wales No. Congenital heart murmurs in children are more often associated with this type of heart failure, although acquired murmurs due to changes in the musculature of the heart can also cause these symptoms. The sections below are a listening guide for heart murmurs. People with a heart murmur often develop a bluish color skin as the result of anemia. Medications include diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs.