The heartbeat has a rhythmic beat and a rhythm similar to lob-dub. Usually, no sound is heard between heartbeats, but sometimes there are extra sounds, also known as muffled heart sounds. What is the source of these vague and unusual sounds? Do they indicate a problem? How is this condition diagnosed and treated? Continuation of this article from the section Child health And diseasesRead Dr. Salam to find out the causes of extra heart sounds in babies and why you should be concerned about it.
What is the extra sound in the heart of babies?
It is an abnormal sound in the heart that is heard between the lobe-beat rhythm of the heart. The heart has two parts: the upper atrium and the lower atrium. Each section is divided into two ventricles called the left ventricle and the right ventricle. Blood enters the heart through the atria and is pumped through the ventricles.
When the blood flows through the atria into the ventricles, a “lobe” sound (S1) is heard, and when the heart pumps blood out of the ventricles, a “beat” sound (S2) is heard. The pause between S1 and S2 (lobe-beat) is called systole or heart contraction, and the pause between S2 and S1 (double-lobe) is called diastole or heart expansion. Usually, this break is silent, but sometimes, you can hear a vague and unusual sound. This muffled sound can be due to the contraction (systolic) and expansion (diastolic) of the heart muscles.
What is the extra sound in the heart of babies?
Vague sounds that are heard are similar to the sound of a body hitting the air or blowing into something, or a sound like scraping that is heard between heartbeats. Unlike the rhythmic sound of “lob-dub”, these ambiguous sounds are heard with higher or lower frequencies. The abnormal sound, unlike the indiscernibility of the lob-dub sound, is sufficiently detectable in the heart because it is difficult to determine when the lob sound ends and when the dub sound begins and vice versa.
Do you hear Vague and extra sound in the heart It is strange?
According to the theory of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the presence of such sounds in the heart is completely normal and normal, that is, it does not indicate a special problem.
These extra sounds in the heart of babies and toddlers that usually occur during childhood are not to blame. This state is not considered a threat because it originates from the regular contraction of heart muscles, valves and blood flow in the heart. Babies and toddlers with this condition are healthy and do not need medical attention. This condition disappears in about 85% of babies as they get older.
But sometimes this situation is not as harmless as it shows and indicates the occurrence of abnormal conditions.
What are the causes of extra sound in the heart of babies?
The following are the most common causes of muffled heart sounds in babies and toddlers:
Stenosis (narrowness of blood vessels)
Stenosis means the narrowing of a vessel, tube or blood vessel in the heart. The type and name of ductal stenosis depends on the place where this stenosis occurs. For example, pulmonary embolism occurs when the pulmonary arteries and veins become narrowed. Other types of aortic stenosis include aortic stenosis and subaortic stenosis.
Extra sound in the heart of babies and Congenital heart defect
According to pediatricians, about 1 in every 100 babies is born with a heart defect. The most common heart defect in children is a ventricular septal defect or the presence of a hole in the wall of the ventricle, which is a tissue layer that separates the right ventricle from the left ventricle. Another defect that can be mentioned is the defect of the inter-atrial wall.
Blood return from the valve
In this case, the heart valves do not close completely, causing blood to back up, which can cause complications such as muffled heart sounds. Examples of regurgitation problems include tricuspid regurgitation and mitral regurgitation.
The heart is a complex organ and various reasons can cause vague sounds in the heart, but finally, the type of these vague sounds helps to diagnose the problem. Until you are able to diagnose this condition like a doctor, you can watch out for the signs and symptoms of this condition in your child.
What are the confusing symptoms of muffled heart sounds?
The following symptoms can indicate problems in the heart that cause this discomfort in the baby’s heart:
- Breathing fast and hard
- Unexplained coughs without catching a cold Flu
- Loss of appetite and eating less or gaining weight
- Chronic fatigue and lethargy. In older children and toddlers, lack of concentration in play has been diagnosed
- Chronic dizziness and fainting. This state usually happens when the toddler has a lot of physical activities or plays in the open air.
- Older children often complain of chest pain
- Swelling in the lower legs, abdomen or neck veins
- Blue skin, which is the medical term cyanosis (The change in the color of the skin to blue is caused by poor blood circulation or low oxygen levels in the blood).
The symptoms of this disease may cover other conditions. For this reason, take your baby to the doctor for an accurate diagnosis.
Diagnosing the disease causing extra sound in the heart of newborns
The diagnosis methods and tools needed to diagnose the basic problem of this situation are as follows:
The degree of abnormal sounds
The severity of this condition can determine whether the condition is benign or severe. Abnormal heart sounds are graded from levels one to six. The first degree, which is the least intense, is mild and can only be heard under certain conditions, while in the sixth degree, the conditions are such that sounds can be heard even without a stethoscope. After that, the doctor will determine if this condition is harmless or due to other heart conditions.
The location of abnormal heart sounds and Extra sound in the heart of babies
The doctor listens for sounds at four points in the chest, which are important points above the heart. Any defect in the functioning of these areas causes vague sounds in the heart. Determining the exact location helps to diagnose the cause.
X-ray of the chest
X-rays help detect any chest disorders that cause abnormal heart sounds. This test provides a snapshot of the heart, which is the first step in further diagnosing this problem.
Echocardiogram and Extra sound in the heart of babies
This method is a type of imaging test that is similar to ultrasound. In this method, the probe is placed on the chest. There are different types of echocardiography and the doctor will suggest the best type for your child.
electrocardiogram (EKG Or ECG)
In this method, the heart rate is measured using small electrodes that are attached to plastic plates and tied to the child’s arms and legs. Each electrode is connected by a piece of wire to a machine that reads the heart’s electrical activity, which is recorded as an EKG. Doctors evaluate the chart to diagnose the cause of the disease.
MRI Heart
MRI allows doctors to see all the heart valves and blood vessels to diagnose this problem.
Cardiac or heart catheterization
This is an invasive procedure in which a thin tube called a catheter is inserted into a large vein or artery, such as the femoral artery and vein, located around the groin. There are different catheters, each of which has a different purpose, such as determining the blood pressure inside the heart or observing the electrical activity of the heart. For each test, the appropriate catheter is selected. Because it is an invasive procedure, it is often performed when all other tests have failed.
Treatment for muffled and abnormal heart sounds depends on what is causing them. Read on to know the details.
How is vague heart sounds treated?
The treatment of this disease depends on factors such as the severity of the disease and the age of the child. Some disease conditions disappear as the child grows up. Other conditions may become chronic, but pose no risk to the child. However, the doctor should check the symptoms to make sure the child is healthy.
If this disease is the result of a series of severe symptoms, then you will need surgery. Congenital heart defects usually require aggressive treatments and medication.
Is there a way to prevent it from happening? Extra sound in the heart of babies There is?
This condition is caused by a congenital heart defect, which is one of the common causes of this problem that cannot be prevented. If you see possible signs of heart defects, the best way to minimize the risk is to have your baby or toddler examined by a doctor.
Hearing vague and abnormal sounds from the heart is not as scary as it is said, and this condition is rarely possible to remain forever. You will not be able to detect these conditions at home, unless you stick your ear to the child’s chest and be aware of what you hear! However, this heart condition is likely to be diagnosed in a child during a routine examination. Early diagnosis gives you the confidence that the child will have fewer problems in this situation.
