Evaluation of cardiac murmurs.

We have attempted to review the evaluation of cardiac murmurs as we approach the patient in the office setting. It is obvious that although the character and location of the murmurs themselves are a clue to the genesis of the murmur, it is only by combining the history with a complete cardiovascular examination that we can truly establish the origin of the murmur in virtually every patient. If we combine these findings with selective noninvasive tests, then we will need to resort to the more expensive and invasive studies only on a selective basis.