Heart murmur in pediatrics: innocent or pathologic?

In a sample of 256 children referred to the São Paulo Hospital for consultation because of heart murmurs the incidence of innocent murmur was 41%. A clinical history and physical examination was performed in every child. The diagnosis was confirmed without the use of laboratory tests in only 5.5% of the cases: 32% of the children were submitted to chest x-ray and electrocardiogram; an echocardiogram had to be performed in 61% of the children and in 1.1% the catheterism was necessary to make the diagnosis. In the great majority of children with high suspicion of innocent murmur a good history and physical examination will suffice to confirm the diagnosis. If heart disease is suspected, laboratory tests should be performed for further evaluation. Any physician should be able to distinguish between pathologic and innocent murmurs based on their clinic features. The authors present a short review about the subject.