What are the signs and symptoms of heart murmurs?
Most people with heart murmurs do not have any other signs and symptoms of a heart problem. The murmur is usually innocent (harmless). Some people with heart murmurs do have signs and symptoms of a heart problem. The signs and symptoms may include: • Blue coloring of the skin, especially on the fingertips and inside the mouth • Poor eating and failure to grow normally (in infants) • Fast breathing • Excessive sweating • Chest pain • Dizziness • Shortness of breath • Fainting • Fatigue (feeling very tired) The signs and symptoms depend on the cause and the severity of the problem causing the murmur. How are heart murmurs diagnosed? Doctors use a stethoscope to listen to heart sounds and hear murmurs. They often notice innocent heart murmurs during routine checkups or physical exams. Doctors may also find abnormal murmurs during routine checkups. Murmurs caused by congenital heart defects are often heard at birth or during infancy. Doctors may hear murmurs caused by other heart problems
