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Review
. 2014 Aug;68(4):282-4.
doi: 10.5455/medarh.2014.68.282-284. Epub 2014 Jul 31.

The importance of heart murmur in the neonatal period and justification of echocardiographic review

Mediha Kardasevic  1 , Amel Kardasevic  1
Affiliations
Review

The importance of heart murmur in the neonatal period and justification of echocardiographic review

Mediha Kardasevic et al. Med Arch. 2014 Aug.

Abstract

Introduction: Heart murmurs can be functional (innocent) and pathological (organic). Although it is not considered a major sign of heart disease, it may be a sign of a serious heart defect. In most cases the noise is initiation for cardiac treatment. Is it possible to differentiate on the basis of auscultation innocent from pathological heart murmur? In this article we present the results of ultrasonography of newborns with positive auscultation finding of the heart in the neonatal and early infancy period.

Goal: To determine the role of murmurs in the heart detected by routine clinical examination in the neonatal period and early infancy, and to establish the legitimacy of cardiology consultation and ultrasound of the heart.

Methods: A retrospective review of medical records in the period from January 1 to December 31, 2011 at the Maternity ward of Cantonal Hospital in Bihac 1899 children was born. In 32 neonates was registered a heart murmur, in the period from birth up to 6 weeks of life. All children with positive auscultation finding of the heart were examined echocardiography by ultrasound ALOCA 2000, multifrequency probe from 3.5 to 5 MHz, and used M-mode, 2-D, continuous, pulsed and color Doppler.

Results: Of the 32 examined children regular echocardiographic findings had two children (6.25%), aberrant bunch of left ventricle 11 (34.37%), patent foramen ovale 5 (15.62%), atrial septal defect 3 children (9.37%), ventricular septal defect 8 children (25%), cyanogen anomaly 2 children (6.25%), stenosis of the pulmonary artery 1 child (3.12%). We see that 14 children (43.75%) had a structural abnormality of the heart that requires further treatment and monitoring.

Conclusion: Echocardiography is necessary to set up or refute the diagnosis of structural heart defect in children with positive auscultation finding in the neonatal period.

Keywords: echocardiographic review; heart murmur; newborn.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST: NONE DECLARED.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Results of the ultrasonography
Figure 2
Figure 2
Results of the ultrasonography
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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