heart murmur

[blan3556]

I have heart palpitations and sinus tach.  My doctor says I am fine.  I had an echo and 24 hour a little over a year ago the 24 hour said "mostly normal monitor with exception of PVC's and sinus tach that may be during driving or precipitated by excercise"  the echo said "EF at 58% with slight mitral regurgitation some not visable".  While at the doctors the other day when he had me squeeze my hands he said he heard a slight murmur while straining(he did a EKG that showed no significant changes)  I am 34, cholesterol 147, I walk/jog 30 minutes a day and lift weights and do push ups squats and such every other day, 5'9" 168 lbs, have aunt with a pacemaker and 2 uncles had heart problems later in life and a grandfather who had heart problems but did not die from it.  Mother died of stroke,father still alive no problems, all siblings healthy(5)
1.  Does the echo and heart monitor sound normal?
2.  Is a heart murmur dangerous and considered a abnormality that with my palps may cause sudden cardiac death?
3.  If the heart has slight murmur while straining should I stop lifting weights and push ups and squats?
4.  Can I live normally like ride rollar coasters and all that or am I limited?
5.  Is there anything I can do to help with the palps and with the heart murmur does it make them more serious?
6.  Does a heart murmur shorten life span?
7.  If some of the heart was not visable could there be a serious defect that they missed?
8.  I am on Atenenol 12.5mg I was on 25mg but now cut in half, is it OK to cut in half and is it safe to go off of them or will that be bad?

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

Hi Blan,

1. Does the echo and heart monitor sound normal?

yes it sounds pretty normal.

2. Is a heart murmur dangerous and considered a abnormality that with my palps may cause sudden cardiac death?

No.  It sounds like your murmur is pretty mininal anyway.

3. If the heart has slight murmur while straining should I stop lifting weights and push ups and squats?

No.  Moderation with everything is best.  I would encourage more aerobic exercise over weight lifting anyway, but it should not be dangerous.

4. Can I live normally like ride rollar coasters and all that or am I limited?

Nothing you mentioned above involves any limits.

5. Is there anything I can do to help with the palps and with the heart murmur does it make them more serious?

The only thing that makes it more dangerous or harmfull is now you know it is there and you may spend more time thinking about it than you should -- little humor there.  No, I would not worry about this.

6. Does a heart murmur shorten life span?

I benign murmur like the one you described with a normal echo does not affect life expectancy.

7. If some of the heart was not visable could there be a serious defect that they missed?

Very unlikely.   Obviously it is difficult to comment without seeing the quality of the study.

8. I am on Atenenol 12.5mg I was on 25mg but now cut in half, is it OK to cut in half and is it safe to go off of them or will that be bad?

It is safe to stop it.

I hope this helps.  Good luck.

[EchoTech]

In all likelyhood, you're good to go to do anything you want.  It is like when someone has a birthmark.  It is not normal, but it doesn't really affect anything.

[dafan]

Hi echotech... in your experience would you say that if a person had an echo and gave an ef of say 63 percent and that person was nervous would the fact that your heart was beating a little harder than normal affect the test results?? when during the test is the ef taken.... at first or toward the end of the test.... what im saying is could your ef be really low say below 50 and the fact you were nervous bring it to above say 60???

[ewriter]

Hi. For three months I have had a rising heart rate on lying down and a flow murmur heard in my back and above my left nipple. After seeing ten docs in two walk-in clinics (one in Canada; another in the UK where I live at the moment), two cardiologists and having an ECHO and two stress tests I was almost laughed at by the first Cardiologist (he told me to take some B vitamins), nobody could actually hear anything on auscultation. I started hearing the murmur in late April. During March and April I had symptoms which I thought were sleep apnea (chilled legs on waking, feeling suffocated on waking) which I had had about 9 years ago and found were related to a dust/dust mite allergy in the place I was living in. I had also been using a 'penis enlarger' for several months (not because i wanted to be 'bigger' per se but as a substitute for sex) for about six months. It was a 14 oz glass jar which I sealed with cream (it fell off most of the time). I kept this on most nights and I believe this weakened my mitral valve or aggravated it...but none of the doctors I have shared this with (all of them) thought the 'enlarger' would have done anything.  

My ECHO in early July or late June (I was forced to pay for it privately, not having insurannce...as my UK doc is treating me for anxiety/depression and is very reluctant to order any tests etc.) was apparently normal but showed trivial mitral regurg.

The stress tests were good and I have had two Holters: a 48 hour one in Canada in June and a 24-hour one here in the UK (results yesterday). The Holters were both apparently normal; the UK one shows occasional sinus arrythmias (I get these mainly when sleeping and usually only when I am lying on my left or right side).

When attempting to sleep in my flat, my symptoms  get much worse(tingling in left foot; numb right thigh -- for two months but numbness goes away if i cross my legs; 'vibrating heart' which feels like palps but seems to definitely be a vibration/wobble, which I believe is due to the mitral reflux) so i have been imposing on a friend and sleeping at his place for some weeks now...this MAY be due to the fact the landlord drycleaned the place (curtains, bedspread; and carpet) and perhaps i am (unknowingly) allergic to the dryvleaning chemicals...

The docs in both Canada and the UK have for the most part (including the Harley Street specialists) treated my symptoms as either completely imaginary or else stress-related.

Physically I feel better now than I did some months ago but I fear my heart is being damaged. First of all, because nobody is treating my reflux as possibly progressive; and second, because I was given Zoloft and Lorazepam and these drugs may have hurt my heart (I believe Zoloft is cardio toxic). I am very worried and frightened because I do not want any surgery for a mitral valve unless it's absolutely necessary due to the risks.

After three months chasing the doctors who were (in large part) ignoring me, I went yesterday and a local locum 'suddenly' discovered that she could hear a 'loud systolic murmur' and promptly prescribed Beta Blockers...i have started on these and they are definitely helping lowering my heart rate and my anxiety....yet i am afraid i may have damaged my heart and will need a valve repair or replacement at some point.

How can I be certain that my mitral valve will not fail or is not weakening my other valves? From all the tests I have had, I am supposed to be OK. I have started back to work (part-time) but it seems the docs are not interested in preventative medicine but rather in after-the-fact medicine...i am sure that i am having more than palps....i am planning to stop taking the Zoloft (down to 50 mg now) but would stay on the BBs unless I can get off them too.

[ewriter]

Hi. For three months I have had a rising heart rate on lying down and a flow murmur heard in my back and above my left nipple. After seeing ten docs in two walk-in clinics (one in Canada; another in the UK where I live at the moment), two cardiologists and having an ECHO and two stress tests I was almost laughed at by the first Cardiologist (he told me to take some B vitamins), nobody could actually hear anything on auscultation. I started hearing the murmur in late April. During March and April I had symptoms which I thought were sleep apnea (chilled legs on waking, feeling suffocated on waking) which I had had about 9 years ago and found were related to a dust/dust mite allergy in the place I was living in. I had also been using a 'penis enlarger' for several months (not because i wanted to be 'bigger' per se but as a substitute for sex) for about six months. It was a 14 oz glass jar which I sealed with cream (it fell off most of the time). I kept this on most nights and I believe this weakened my mitral valve or aggravated it...but none of the doctors I have shared this with (all of them) thought the 'enlarger' would have done anything.  

My ECHO in early July or late June (I was forced to pay for it privately, not having insurannce...as my UK doc is treating me for anxiety/depression and is very reluctant to order any tests etc.) was apparently normal but showed trivial mitral regurg.

The stress tests were good and I have had two Holters: a 48 hour one in Canada in June and a 24-hour one here in the UK (results yesterday). The Holters were both apparently normal; the UK one shows occasional sinus arrythmias (I get these mainly when sleeping and usually only when I am lying on my left or right side).

When attempting to sleep in my flat, my symptoms  get much worse(tingling in left foot; numb right thigh -- for two months but numbness goes away if i cross my legs; 'vibrating heart' which feels like palps but seems to definitely be a vibration/wobble, which I believe is due to the mitral reflux) so i have been imposing on a friend and sleeping at his place for some weeks now...this MAY be due to the fact the landlord drycleaned the place (curtains, bedspread; and carpet) and perhaps i am (unknowingly) allergic to the dryvleaning chemicals...

The docs in both Canada and the UK have for the most part (including the Harley Street specialists) treated my symptoms as either completely imaginary or else stress-related.

Physically I feel better now than I did some months ago but I fear my heart is being damaged. First of all, because nobody is treating my reflux as possibly progressive; and second, because I was given Zoloft and Lorazepam and these drugs may have hurt my heart (I believe Zoloft is cardio toxic). I am very worried and frightened because I do not want any surgery for a mitral valve unless it's absolutely necessary due to the risks.

After three months chasing the doctors who were (in large part) ignoring me, I went yesterday and a local locum 'suddenly' discovered that she could hear a 'loud systolic murmur' and promptly prescribed Beta Blockers...i have started on these and they are definitely helping lowering my heart rate and my anxiety....yet i am afraid i may have damaged my heart and will need a valve repair or replacement at some point.

How can I be certain that my mitral valve will not fail or is not weakening my other valves? From all the tests I have had, I am supposed to be OK. I have started back to work (part-time) but it seems the docs are not interested in preventative medicine but rather in after-the-fact medicine...i am sure that i am having more than palps....i am planning to stop taking the Zoloft (down to 50 mg now) but would stay on the BBs unless I can get off them too.

[tickertock]

IGNORE all comments from ECHOTECH even though I asked him for his personal opinion on a LVH. He only seeks attention regardless of his status or qualifications and he should be cautioned by those that monitor this forum, others have been banned from this forum for much less info than he provides.

[tickertock]

I respectfully asked that my remarks be withdrawn to ewriter in my previous comment and no disrespect intended to echotech, who am I to suggest to ignore anyone's comments on this forum. I sincerely apoligize if anyone has been offended by my remarks regarding echotech.

[kygreeneyeangel]

We just found out 2 weeks ago my 4 year old son has a heart murmur. So his doctor send him for a EKG and Echocardiogram last week. I just found out today that the EKG and Echocardiogram show the vessel in his heart that pumps blood from his heart to the best of the body is bigger then it show be and now he has to go see a pediatric cardiologist. Does anyone know how bad it is for it to be bigger then it should be? Please help Thank you

[ewriter]

I have been recently diagnosed (by a locum with 2 years experience) with a 'loud systolic murmur.' For three months I have been chasing this buzzing noise under my left nipple and a loud flow murmur sound (like rushing water, subdued) heard/felt in my back between my shoulder blades. The murmur has 'morphed' from the above to an almost-constant sound/feeling which goes away (or is almost entirely subdued) when I sleep. Due to the anxiety over this, I could not sleep without 'something' for the past 4 months. I was prescribed Lorazepam and was on it for about 6 weeks...I was then prescribed Zoloft which I have been on for about 2 months. I believe these drugs are cardiotoxic and have given me a heart condition or exacerbated it. Because my doctor would not refer me to a Cardiologist or order an ECHO, I was forced to obtain these things (costing about $1000) privately. The ECHO showed 'normal resting study' but with 'trivial mitral regurgitation'. I had a very recent ECG (Holter) which showed normal (less than 1% arrythmias, no bradycardia; no SVTs; no tachycardia, etc.). I hear/feel this loud murmur most of the time now; I don't know if it's progressive (i.e., mitral leak increasing) or if it is, by how much. Symptoms over the past 4 months (starting in May): 1. tingling in the left foot (mostly disappeared or diminished); 2. numbness in my right thigh -- on lying down for an hour or sleeping; but this disappears if I cross my right leg over my left; 3. Tingling in my left foot when I strain on the toilet; 3. 'wobbling' heart (or what my doctor called 'dual ectopics' which I believed was atrial flutter -- sometimes for several hours... but which was not shown on the recent Holter) 4. 'extra' heartbeats (these have now disappeared).

I would like to know what I should do...I am stopping the Zoloft but replacing it with St John's Wort; I would like to start Seroquel because it gives me a wonderful sleep. I would like to eventually stop all SSRIs because I believe they are damaging my cardivascualar health, and start using CPAP (In July I was diagnosed with moderate to severe sleep apnea but I did not want to 'have to use a ventilator' to live...for the rest of my life...). I regret not starting on the ventilator and believe if I had, my flow murmur would not have got so loud. I am very frightened that I will soon need to either have my mitral valve replaced or repaired to prevent damage to other valves.

Family History: father died May 2005 from complications resulting from AAA (heavy smoker and drinker for many years); father had irregular heartbeat for many years. Grandfather died from adverse reaction to dye used to detect possible MI or stroke. Mother has high blood pressure (not sure if it's primary or secondary). Have 3 siblings. My older brother has a hiatus hernia, TMJ and may have GERD. Youngest brother has been diagnosed psycho-affective and (I think) depressed. Father was diagnosed with clinical depression for about 20 years.

[ls2]

my husband was diagnosed as a child with a mild "2" heart murmur. just 3 weeks ago he went for an ECHO and the cardiologist (new Dr. not the same as his original cardiologist) tells him that now he is a moderate "3".  He explained to him that he will most likely require a procedure when he is in his 40's-50's (he's 27 now).  Generally he's in good shape.  works out 4x a week, is phyically fit, rarely gets ill, etc. I've been doing my research and I've seen that shortness of breath is a sympton.  If there is one sign of this condition it is infrequent shortness of breath.  my questions are as follows:

1.  he used to lift very heavy weights throughout college, good that of, in anyway increased his murmur?
2. does diet have any effects on his condition?
3. how frequent does one need to present with signs/symptoms to indicate a severe condition?
4.  His cardiologist said that on one view of the ECHO his heart seemed to be bicuspid and on another view tricuspid.  what does that mean?
5. Should I be gravely concerned?

[Terrijo724]

Hello-
I just went to my family doctor yesterday (9/9/05) and was told that he heard a murmur. He repeatedly informed me that he thought it was nothing to worry about, but after having been diagnosed with GAD for the last two years, I can't help but "freak out" a little! I just turned 25!! I don't want to have to think about heart problems already.
He says I have two options: 1-I can either wait and see later on if he still hears it and if he does to do the ECHO or 2-just to go ahead and do the echo. Normally he doesn't pay so much attention while listening, but I did make some notes to him that I get dizzy/lightheaded/etc. frequently (99% of the time it is within 30 seconds of getting up from sitting or lying position to standing)
My questions are:
1-Why would would he give me an option to "see if he hears it again" -they don't just come and go do they?
2-Do murmurs just arise or are they present at birth?
3-I had an EKG done last year and it didn't show nothing irregular except bradycardia (hardly though as my rate was 59 beats per minute), do EKGs detect murmurs?
4-Some say that murmurs are ok in young people who are athletic. Is that true? I wouldn't say that I am athletic (as far as working out but I do have an athletic body (5'8, 121 lbs).
5-Can I myself hear the murmur? With a stethoscope? Or feel it?

I guess I should just do the ECHO thing and get it over with. But maybe I need some false assurance. It sucks because with my anxiety I constantly feel pain in my heart now and I know how stupid and unreal it is, but I can't help but let it get to me. Maybe the ECHO will come back normal!! Maybe the clinic was not quiet enough or maybe my paper gown was too close to the stethoscope he was listening with. I'm hoping anyways. Thanks!

[bad boys]

when my first son was born they said he had a heart murmur and that it will heal up well it did now when my second son was born they said the same thing but know there saying that its healing slow hes six but there also saying his heart skips a beat and his right ventrical is big and still has the murmur i want to know if it will heal up on its own or continu doc vists