Re: HEART MURMUR

Posted By CCF CARDIO MD - MTR on January 28, 1999 at 08:50:26:

In Reply to: HEART MURMUR posted by CATIA on January 27, 1999 at 19:51:55:






HI!
I AM A 26 YEAR OLD FEMALE.  I WAS RECENTLY TOLD BY AN ENDOCRONOLOGIST THAT I HAVE A HEART MURMUR.  THIS CAME AS A SURPRISE SINCE I (OR MY PARENTS) HAVE NEVER BEEN TOLD THIS.  THE DOCTOR TOLD MY THAT I HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT AND TO FORGET THAT HE TOLD ME.  I AM WONDERING WHETHER AN ENDOCRONOLOGIST KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HEART MURMUR THAT I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT AND ONE THAT I DO.  ARE THERE ANY SIGNS I SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR SO THAT I KNOW IF AND WHEN I NEED TO WORRY ABOUT IT.  I'D APPRECIATE ANY ADVICE!
THANKS



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Dear Catia, thank you for your question. An endocrinologist has been thoroughly trained in Internal Medicine so he should be able to distinguish benign heart murmurs from ones that require further investigation.  Heart murmurs can be caused by a variety of problems: leaking valves, stenotic valves, communications between cardiac chambers, and congenital malformations.  However, many murmurs are termed innocent flow murmurs that are heard by the examining physician, but do not signify any serious cardiac problem.  Flow murmurs are caused by increased blood flow through the heart.   Thus, I suggest that you speak to the endocrinologist who examined you about your concerns.  

I hope you find this information useful.  Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only.  Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.  Good luck.
If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter.   The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.