Seattle Health Blog

What are the causes of heart murmur?

Murmurs can occur when blood passes through a narrowed valve (which is called stenosis), or leaks backward through a defective valve (which is called regurgitation). These valve problems may be congenital (from birth) or occur later due to rheumatic fever, coronary artery disease, infective endocarditis or the aging process.

In other cases, a heart defect, such as a hole in one wall of the heart, can cause a murmur. Processes such as pregnancy, anemia, high blood pressure, fever or an overactive thyroid gland can also cause a heart murmur intermittent.

What are the symptoms?

Most people with heart murmurs have no symptoms. Murmurs are usually discovered during a medical examination because of other symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue or the presence of a bluish discoloration of the skin or the tips of the fingers (which is called ‘cyanosis “).