Heart murmurs are a phrase many of us hear during a doctor visit. While one is lying on the examining table, the physician sets a stethoscope on your chest, and then they stop. "You have a murmur," they may say. That can be a bit of a shock, but not all murmurs are a cause for concern. In reality, the majority of them are absolutely harmless. They are referred to as 'innocent murmurs ' and are often present in children and young adults. But there are also non-innocent murmurs that could signal something more significant with the heart. The ability to determine between the two and when to investigate further is key to the well-being of the heart.

A heart murmur is simply the noise of the blood flowing through the heart in a way that produces a noise like a soft whoosh or swish. A mu

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