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Rao. Vessel Plus 2022;6:22 Vessel Plus
DOI: 10.20517/2574-1209.2021.105

Review Open Access

Diagnosis of cardiac murmurs in children

P. Syamasundar Rao

Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas at Houston McGovern Medical School and Children’s Memorial Hermann
Hospital, Houston, Texas, TX 77030, USA.
Correspondence to: P. Syamasundar Rao, MD, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas at Houston McGovern Medical
School and Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, 6410 Fannin Street, Suite #425, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
E-mail: P.Syamasundar.Rao@uth.tmc.edu

How to cite this article: Rao PS. Diagnosis of cardiac murmurs in children. Vessel Plus 2022;6:22.
https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/2574-1209.2021.105

Received: 20 Jul 2021 First Decision: 15 Sep 2021 Revised: 27 Sep 2021 Accept: 2 Nov 2021 Published: 8 Apr 2022

Academic Editors: Christopher Lau, Alexander D. Verin Copy Editor: Yue-Yue Zhang Production Editor: Yue-Yue Zhang

Abstract
Heart murmurs are frequently heard, and the murmurs are the usual cause for uncovering heart defects in pediatric
patients. The murmurs are grouped into systolic murmurs, diastolic murmurs, and continuous murmurs. Cautious
assessment of the murmur and associated abnormalities in physical examination are likely to produce correct
diagnosis of the cause of the murmur. Sometimes it may be necessary to utilize noninvasive and invasive (rarely)
investigations to achieve an accurate diagnosis. Nonetheless, such diagnostic studies may frequently be required
for quantification, and before intervention either by transcatheter methods or by surgery.

Keywords: Ejection systolic murmur, holosystolic murmur, functional murmur, diastolic murmurs, Graham-Steel
murmur, venous hum

INTRODUCTION
One might ask why a paper on auscultation is included in a journal issue dealing with advances and insights
into congenital heart disease. While such a question is justified, the author’s response is that such inclusion
[1,2]
is warranted because of its value in its ability to discern intricate diagnostic dilemmas prior to invoking
the assistance of sophisticated investigative studies, namely, echocardiography, magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI), computed tomography (CT), and cardiac catheterization with selective cineangiography. While the
younger generation of cardiologists readily invokes the advantages of echocardiography, MRI, and CT, the
author seeks to emphasize the value of carefully performed physical examination, including auscultation

© The Author(s) 2022. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, sharing,
adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, for any purpose, even commercially, as
long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and
indicate if changes were made.

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