Heart
Heart Murmur
An extra or unusual sound heard during a heartbeat, often indicating a problem with a heart valve.
Heart valve disease — including aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation, and rheumatic mitral stenosis — affects the heart's ability to pump blood effectively. A heart murmur signals turbulent blood flow, though not all murmurs indicate disease.
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While some heart murmurs are harmless, others indicate underlying structural issues with the heart's valves that require attention.
Types of Valve Disease
- Aortic Stenosis — progressive valve narrowing, common in adults over 65
- Aortic Regurgitation — incomplete closure causing blood backflow into the left ventricle
- Mitral Stenosis — frequently caused by rheumatic heart disease; prevalent in Southeast Asia
- Mitral Regurgitation — incomplete mitral closure from valve prolapse or other causes
- Tricuspid and Pulmonary Valve Disease — less common but clinically significant
Symptoms
- Exertional breathlessness and reduced exercise capacity
- Palpitations and chest discomfort
- Dizziness and ankle swelling
- Syncope (loss of consciousness)
Diagnosis
- Echocardiography (primary diagnostic tool)
- Stress echocardiography for asymptomatic assessment
- Cardiac CT and MRI
- Cardiac catheterisation
Treatment Options
- Medical management of symptoms and related conditions
- Surgical valve repair or replacement
- Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI)
- MitraClip catheter-based mitral repair
- Balloon mitral valvuloplasty for rheumatic stenosis
Concerned About Heart Murmur?
Dr. Peter Chang offers specialist assessment and personalised management at Paragon Medical Centre, Singapore.