When do heart murmurs become a concern? When they occur very early at birth or during the first six months of life. These murmurs are not functional or innocent, and most likely they will require the attention of a pediatric cardiologist immediately. They may be due to abnormal connections between the pumping chambers (septal defects) or the major blood vessels coming from the heart (e.g., transposition of vessels). Your infant will be observed for changes in skin color (turning blue), as well as breathing or feeding difficulties. He also may undergo additional tests, such as a chest X-ray, electrocardiogram (ECG), and an echocardiogram. This echocardiogram creates a picture of the inside of the heart by using sound waves. If all of these tests prove normal, then it is safe to conclude that the baby has an innocent murmur, but the cardiologist and pediatrician may want to see him again to be absolutely certain. The cardiologist and pediatrician together will make a decision as to next steps depending on the results of these tests.
When a specific condition called patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) occurs, it is often detected shortly after birth, most commonly in premature babies. It is a potentially serious condition in which blood circulates abnormally between two of the major arteries near the heart, due to the failure of a blood vessel (the ductus arteriosis) between these arteries to properly close. In most cases, the only symptom of PDA is a heart murmur until the ductus closes on its own shortly after birth, which often happens in otherwise healthy, full-term newborns. Sometimes, especially in premature babies, it may not close on its own, or it may be large and permit too much blood to pass through the lungs, which can place extra strain on the heart, forcing it to work harder and causing a rise in blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs. If this is the case, a medication or, rarely, surgery may be needed to help close the PDA.