A heart murmur is a sound, not a disease. Murmurs can be faint or loud and sound like a "whooshing" or "swishing" noise.

Most murmurs are harmless (innocent) and require little to no treatment. However, some abnormal heart murmurs can indicate other heart problems, such as heart valve disease. When a heart valve disease is causing the murmur, a cardiologist will recommend treatment based on the type, amount and severity of the disease.

Most abnormal heart murmurs in children are caused by congenital heart defects, meaning problems with the heart's structure that existed at birth. Abnormal heart murmurs in adults are most often caused by acquired heart valve disease that develops from other conditions such as infection, disease and aging. 

Diagnosing heart murmur

Treating heart murmur  

Learn more. Contact our Heart Valve Clinic coordinator:

Deanne Olson, RN, MBA, CCRP
Medical Center of the Rockies
2500 Rocky Mountain Ave., Suite 100
Loveland, CO 80538 

Phone: 970.624.1833
Fax: 970.663.2751
do@pvhs.org

University of Colorado Health employees dedicate themselves to providing patients and other customers with world-class care and service. Outside organizations recognize that, calling University of Colorado Health's hospitals some of the best in Colorado and even the best in the nation. Some of those accolades are listed below:

University of Colorado Health
Fort Collins, Colorado
970.495.7000
PVHS@pvhs.org