What Causes a Cardiac Murmur?
If you’ve ever been told you have a heart murmur, you might wonder what that means — and whether it’s something to worry about. A murmur isn’t a disease itself, but rather an abnormal sound heard during a heartbeat that may indicate changes in how blood flows through your heart.
Common Causes of a Cardiac Murmur
The two most frequent structural causes of a murmur are valvular regurgitation and valvular stenosis:
Regurgitation (Valve Leak): This occurs when a heart valve does not close completely, allowing blood to leak backward. The result is turbulent, inefficient blood flow that can produce a characteristic murmur.
Stenosis (Valve Narrowing): Stenosis develops when a valve becomes thickened, stiff, or calcified. This restricts the forward flow of blood and forces the heart to work harder to push blood through a smaller opening.
Both conditions can develop gradually with age or result from congenital abnormalities, infections, or other forms of heart disease.
The Role of Echocardiography
An echocardiogram is the gold-standard, non-invasive test used to evaluate the cause and severity of a murmur. Using ultrasound technology, echocardiography allows your provider to:
Visualize the heart valves and chambers in real time
Assess blood flow and direction using color Doppler imaging
Measure velocities and pressure gradients across valves
Determine the severity of regurgitation or stenosis
Monitor changes over time with routine follow-up exams
These measurements provide a detailed look at how well your heart valves are functioning and help guide decisions about treatment or further testing.
Preventive Heart Care in Maine
Regular cardiac evaluations are an important part of preventive healthcare, especially if you’ve been diagnosed with a murmur or have risk factors for heart disease. At Echo Imaging Solutions in Maine, our registered cardiac sonographers provide comprehensive echocardiograms to help detect and monitor valvular disease early—before symptoms progress.
If your provider has recommended a heart ultrasound or you’re looking for a self-pay echocardiogram in Maine, our team can help. Early detection and consistent monitoring make a significant difference in maintaining long-term heart health.
