What is a heart murmur?

The heart is one of the most important organs in the human body, keeping blood flowing constantly to our lungs and bodies. While everyone’s heart has its own rhythm, most healthy hearts have a similar sound. When the heartbeat is interrupted by unusual sounds such as blowing, whooshing or rasping, it’s called a heart murmur. These sounds are caused by rough blood flowing through the valves or near the heart.

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Reviewed by: Anthony F. Rossi, MD

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM