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The diagnosis of innocent murmurs in childhood

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 August 2008

Najib Advani ,
Samuel Menahem  and
James L. Wilkinson
Najib Advani
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiology, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
Samuel Menahem*
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiology, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
James L. Wilkinson
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiology, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
*
Professor S. Menahem, Department of Cardiology, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia Tel. +61–3–9345–5178, Fax: +61–3–9345–6001, E-mail. menahems@cryptic.rch.unimelb.edu.au
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Abstract

Innocent murmurs are common in childhood. They require accurate diagnosis to avoid unnecessary anxiety and/or restrictions. With this in mind, we studied prospectively children diagnosed by a paediatric cardiologist as having innocent murmurs to review the necessity of investigations in excluding organic abnormalities. We included 63 children in the study. The majority had the so-called Still's, or musical/vibratory murmur. None had abnormal investigations, suggesting that such investigations are largely superfluous for the purpose of diagnosis in those patients with innocent murmurs seen by a paediatric cardiologist. They are often done, nonetheless, as part of the assessment and/or expectations of the parent or the referring physician.

Keywords

Innocent murmurspaediatriccardiologistinvestigations
Type
Original Articles
Information
Cardiology in the Young , Volume 10 , Issue 4 , July 2000 , pp. 340 - 342
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2000

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