Heart Murmurs in Adults: What They Mean and When to See a Cardiologist

“I can hear a murmur.” It is one of the most common things a doctor says during a routine check-up, and one of the most misunderstood. Many people hear the word and assume something is seriously wrong. Often it is not. But a murmur is a clue worth following up, because in some adults it is the first sign of a heart valve problem.

What Is A Heart Murmur?

A murmur is an extra sound heard through a stethoscope, caused by blood flowing in a turbulent way through the heart. A normal heartbeat makes two sounds, often described as “lub-dub”, as the heart’s valves close. A murmur is a whooshing or swishing sound in between.

Innocent Or Abnormal?

Innocent murmurs come from normal blood flow through a healthy heart. They are common in children and can appear in adults when blood is flowing faster than usual, for example during pregnancy, fever, anaemia or an overactive thyroid. They need no treatment.

Abnormal murmurs are caused by a structural problem, most often a heart valve that is narrowed (stenosis) or does not close properly (regurgitation). Other causes include holes between the heart’s chambers and thickened heart muscle.

Which Valve Problems Cause Murmurs?

In adults, the most common are:

Aortic stenosis, a narrowing of the valve between the heart and the aorta, usually due to calcium build-up with age.

Mitral regurgitation, a leaking valve between the two left chambers, which can result from mitral valve prolapse, heart muscle disease or rheumatic fever in childhood.

Bicuspid aortic valve, a valve with two leaflets instead of three, present from birth and often discovered in adulthood.

Symptoms That Matter

Many people with a murmur have no symptoms at all. Symptoms that suggest a significant valve problem include breathlessness on exertion or when lying flat, chest pain or tightness, dizziness or fainting, palpitations, swollen ankles and tiredness that is out of character. These deserve prompt assessment.

How Is The Cause Found?

The key test is an echocardiogram, an ultrasound scan of the heart. It shows the valves opening and closing, measures how narrowed or leaky they are and checks how well the heart is pumping. It is painless, uses no radiation and usually takes 30 to 45 minutes. An ECG and sometimes a chest X-ray, exercise test or cardiac MRI may be added.

What Happens Next?

If the murmur is innocent, no further action is needed. If a valve problem is found, the next step depends on its severity. Mild to moderate disease is usually monitored with echocardiograms every one to three years. Severe disease, particularly with symptoms, may need treatment.

Options for heart valve treatment in Dubai and elsewhere include surgical repair, surgical replacement with a mechanical or tissue valve, catheter-based valve replacement (TAVI) for some aortic valve patients and balloon valvuloplasty for certain narrowed valves. The choice depends on the valve, the type of problem, age and overall health.

Murmurs During Pregnancy

Murmurs are common in pregnancy because the volume of blood rises considerably. Most are innocent and disappear after the birth. Women with a known valve problem, however, should see a cardiologist before or early in pregnancy, as some valve conditions need closer monitoring when the heart is working harder.

Looking After Your Valves

Good dental hygiene matters, because infection can spread to damaged valves. Tell your dentist and other doctors if you have known valve disease. Keep blood pressure controlled, and do not ignore new symptoms between scheduled check-ups.

Finding The Right Specialist

People often look for the best cardiologists in Dubai as a general category. For a murmur, the more useful question is whether the cardiologist has a particular interest in valve disease and imaging, and whether surgical and catheter-based options are available if treatment becomes necessary.

Where Can Adult With a Heart Murmur Be Assessed in Dubai?

Aster Hospital Dubai, which has more than 200 doctors across five facilities in Mankhool, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah and Jebel Ali, offers echocardiography and the full range of valve treatments through its cardiology and cardiac surgery teams. These include valve repair, replacement with mechanical or biological valves, TAVI and balloon valvuloplasty. Its online cardiologist directory lists each doctor’s subspecialty and hospital, which helps patients find a valve or imaging specialist.

A murmur is a sound, not a diagnosis. An echocardiogram is usually all it takes to find out what it means.