Office Approach to Heart Murmurs: Identifying murmurs found during a periodic examination.

Heart murmurs are commonly detected on a general physical examination. The physician must decide whether the murmur is organic and needs further investigation or "innocent" and calls only for reassurance. An accurate diognosis requires a careful history and physical examination, along with appropriate use of such tests as an electrocardiogram, chest x-ray, and echocardiography.