R01: Cardiac murmurs and other cardiac sounds

R01.1: Cardiac murmur, unspecified

In this way, the heart beats and pumps blood through our body. The beating of the heart can be heard. To do this, we listen at certain sites in the chest. If any additional noise is heard in the heart, it is known as a heart murmur.

Heart murmurs can be harmless or abnormal. A harmless heart murmur can occur when someone has fever, for example. Harmless heart murmurs can also be heard in children. An abnormal heart murmur can occur, for example, when there have been changes to the cardiac valves. There are 4 valves in the heart. These valves ensure that the blood flows in the right direction. So they have to close tightly. They also have to open up fully so that the blood can be properly pumped out of the heart.