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Differential diagnosis and approach to a heart murmur in term infants

Michele A Frommelt1

  • 1Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, The Medical College of Wisconsin, 9000 West Wisconsin Avenue, P.O. Box 1997, Milwaukee, WI 53201, USA. mafrom@mcw.edu

Pediatric Clinics of North America
|July 28, 2004
PubMed

Insights

This review covers diagnosing heart murmurs in newborns. It details common heart conditions causing murmurs in term infants after reviewing history and physical exams.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Neonatology

Background:

  • Heart murmurs are common in term infants.
  • Differentiating innocent murmurs from pathological ones is crucial for timely intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive guide for the differential diagnosis of heart murmurs in term infants.
  • To outline a systematic approach to evaluating these murmurs.

Main Methods:

  • Review of relevant medical literature on pediatric cardiac auscultation and congenital heart disease.
  • Discussion of key historical, physical, and cardiac examination findings.
  • Categorization of common structural cardiac lesions associated with murmurs.

Main Results:

  • Key historical and examination findings that suggest underlying pathology are highlighted.
  • Common structural cardiac lesions, such as ventricular septal defects and patent ductus arteriosus, are discussed in relation to their murmur characteristics.
  • An approach to differentiate benign murmurs from those requiring further investigation is presented.

Conclusions:

  • A thorough history and physical examination are essential for the initial assessment of a heart murmur in a term infant.
  • Understanding common structural cardiac lesions aids in accurate diagnosis and management.
  • Early identification and appropriate management of pathological murmurs can improve infant outcomes.

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