snapping noise

[neener86]

I recently had a pre-employment physical and the doctor said he was hearing a sort of "snapping" noise on the right side of my heart. He said the left side sounded fine. What could it be? He told me a cardiologist could probably listen and tell what it is, or I would need an EEG. I am going to follow up w/a doc but am curious as to what it could be.

[dolfnlvr]

I am not a doctor, therefore anything I say should be taken with a grain of salt, and you should definitely follow-up with your cardiologist.  

Sometimes, when there is increases pressure in one side of the heart than the other, then when the heart beats, the valve "snaps" shut after the beat.  Often the increased pressure is caused by a narrowing of the valve (called stenosis).  

At the same time, often non-specialists "hear" things that aren't really there.  They hear something, and in order to CYA they refer you to a specialist to follow-up.  What a generalist calls a "snap," a specialist may call a normal artifact (or a normal or within normal range sound of the heart).

I suggest you do what your doctor says and follow-up.  It never hurts to be sure.

Take Care.

[manthalatrice]

I am only a nurse, not a doctor. So as stated you should definitely see a cardiologist. But I am wondering if the snapping noise that was heard more of a "click"? Normally we associate a clicking noise with a condition called mitral valve prolapse which a lot of people have. In this condition the mitral valve leaflets not only close with
contraction but their is a ballooning back up into the left atrium. During ballooning, the sudden tensing of the valve leaflets and the chordae tendineae creates the click. But you have to see a specialist to find out. Keep us posted!