Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Benign paediatric heart murmur
Introduction
A benign paediatric heart murmur, also innocent heart murmur or innocent murmur, is an inconsequential sound that originate from the heart and/or cardiovascular system and is heard on cardiac auscultation. By definition, an innocent murmur is not significant in the long-term health of an individual that has it.
Murmurs – innocent versus pathological
Murmurs – innocent versus pathological
Characteristics of innocent murmurs are:
- Less than 3/6 in intensity, soft
- Often position-dependent (supine versus upright)
- Otherwise healthy individual, no concerns about growth
- Continuous (throughout cardiac cycle) or systolic (diastolic-only sounds are always pathologic)
- Normal S2 splitting (S2 splitting with inspiration)
- No palpable thrill (vibration of the chest due to abnormal heart movement/blood flow)
Prognosis
Prognosis
Innocent murmurs are inconsequential and usually disappear as the child grows. ECG and Chest XRAY are normal.
Types, description and DDx
Types, description and DDx
| Name | Location | DDx |
|---|---|---|
| Still’s murmur | inferior aspect of LLSB, systolic ejection sound, vibratory/musical quality | subaortic stenosis, small VSD |
| Pulmonary ejection | superior aspect of LLSB, ejection sound | Pulmonary stenosis, atrial septal defect |
| Venous hum | Infraclavicular throughout the cardiac cycle (right side > left side), diminishes with jugular vein palpation or neck turning | PDA |
| Supraclavicular arterial bruit | Above clavicles | aortic stenosis, bicuspid aortic valve |
| Peripheral pulmonary stenosis | low-pitch with radiation to back and armpit | PDA, pulmonary stenosis |
LLSB = lower left sternal border
External links
External links
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]