Do We Perform Echocardiography Assesment for Innocent Heart Murmurs in Childhood?

Aim: It is aimed to evaluate the necessity of echocardiographic asssesment for the patients in whom the innocent heart murmurs are heard after the cardiovascular system examination. Material and Methods: The files of 466 patients, ages varied between 1 day and 17 years-old, who were performed echocardiographic assessment and referred to our Pediatric Cardiology Outpatient Clinic because of innocent heart murmur due to physical examination, electrocardiography and telecardiograpy between June 2007- December 2007 were evaluated respectively. Result: Patients who have innocent heart murmurs were not detected any important cardiac patology for hemodynamic physiology. Also, when the innocent heart murmurs is evaluated according to types, it is determinated that the most heart murmur is the innocent pulmoner murmur (47,4%). Results: In 69% of the patients who were performed ecocardiographic assesment, minor congenital heart anomalies were establised with any hemodynamic abnormalities and also 12% of them were given infective endocarditis preventive treatment. For this reason; it is determined to be suitable that echocardiographic assesment for the children who are reffered to our outpatient clinic because of heart murmur in physical examination despite the result of innocent heart murmur.