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Heart murmurs and other sounds

Alternative Names

Chest sounds – murmurs; Heart sounds – abnormal; Murmur – innocent; Innocent murmur; Systolic heart murmur; Diastolic heart murmur

Definition of Heart murmurs and other sounds

Murmurs are blowing, whooshing, or rasping sounds heard during a heartbeat. The sound is caused by turbulent blood flow through the heart valves or near the heart.

Review

Issam Mikati, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Director, Northwestern Clinic Echocardiography Lab, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. – 6/5/2010

Heart, section through the middle

ADAM Medical Encyclopedia

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