Symptoms

If you have an innocent heart murmur, you likely won't have any other signs or symptoms.

An abnormal heart murmur may cause the following signs and symptoms, depending on the cause of the murmur:

• Skin that appears blue, especially on your fingertips and lips
• Swelling or sudden weight gain
• Shortness of breath
• Chronic cough
• Enlarged liver
• Enlarged neck veins
• In infants, poor appetite and failure to grow normally
• Heavy sweating with little or no activity
• Chest pain
• Dizziness
• Fainting

When to see a doctor

Most heart murmurs aren't serious, but if you think you or your child has a heart murmur, make an appointment to see your family doctor. Your doctor can tell you if the heart murmur is innocent and doesn't require any further treatment or if an underlying heart problem needs to be further examined.