What Is a Systolic Heart Murmur?
A heart murmur is an extra sound which occurs between heartbeats and can generally be detected with a stethoscope. Murmurs are classified as diastolic, systolic, and continuous, depending upon when they happen in the heartbeat cycle. A systolic heart murmur occurs when the muscles contract, pushing the blood out of the heart. It begins before or during the first sound of the heartbeat and ends before or during the second sound. The majority of heart murmurs are innocent and many children are diagnosed with a murmur at some time in their life. Murmurs can also be caused by factors such as high blood pressure, anemia, pregnancy, fevers and an overactive thyroid. Most of these murmurs disappear on their own, and even if they remain, do not require any treatment.
