title: Evaluation of children with heart murmurs.
abstract: Cardiac murmurs can be a source of anxiety for both physicians and parents until serious cardiac disorders are excluded. The innocent cardiac murmur is still the most common finding in healthy children and can usually be diagnosed through obtaining a complete history and performing a complete physical examination. However, a cardiac murmur may be the first sign of a structural cardiac disease and should not be ignored. Referral to a pediatric cardiologist for further evaluation is required when murmur assessment is not clear and diagnostic uncertainty is present. Educating and reassuring parents remains an important aspect of this evaluation. This article discusses features of innocent and pathological murmurs and provides an approach to cardiac murmurs in children.
authors.affiliation: 1The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Yousef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Etoom
authors.forename: Savithiri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ratnapalan
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006337:Heart Murmurs / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008487:Medical History Taking; D010808:Physical Examination; D012017:Referral and Consultation
keywords: children; heart murmur; innocent murmurs; pathological murmurs