Can A Heart Murmur Cause Palpitations? | The Real Connection

Yes—some valve-related murmurs can go with rhythm changes that feel like fluttering or racing, but many murmurs cause no symptoms.

Hearing you have a heart murmur can mess with your head. Then palpitations show up—thumps, flutters, that “my heart just did a weird thing” feeling—and it’s easy to link the two.

Sometimes the link is real. Sometimes it’s coincidence. A murmur is a sound a clinician hears. Palpitations are a feeling you notice. They can come from the same underlying issue, or they can be two separate stories happening at once.

This guide breaks down when a murmur can be tied to palpitations, what patterns raise concern, and what a sensible checkup usually looks like.

What A Heart Murmur Actually Means

A heart murmur isn’t a disease by itself. It’s an extra sound—often described as a whoosh—heard when blood moves through the heart. The sound can come from perfectly normal blood flow, or from flow that’s rougher than it should be.

Clinicians often sort murmurs into two big buckets:

• Innocent (or “flow”) murmurs: the heart structure is normal, and the sound comes from faster or louder blood flow. Many people never feel anything from these.
• Abnormal murmurs: the sound hints at a valve that’s narrowed, leaky, stiff, or shaped in a way that changes flow.

That difference matters because palpitations usually come from electrical timing in the heart, while a murmur usually points to flow mechanics. When mechanics get strained, the electrical side can start acting up too.

What Palpitations Feel Like And Why They Happen

Palpitations are a symptom, not a diagnosis. People describe them as fluttering, pounding, racing, a pause followed by a hard beat, or a flip-flop in the chest. Some feel it in the throat or neck.

Many palpitations come from harmless rhythm quirks, stress, caffeine, dehydration, fever, or certain medicines. They can also come from rhythm disorders such as supraventricular tachycardia or atrial fibrillation. The American Heart Association notes that palpitations cover a wide range of causes and can’t be judged by feeling alone.

Can A Heart Murmur Cause Palpitations? What The Link Looks Like

Yes, a murmur can be connected to palpitations—when the murmur is a clue for a valve problem or another structural issue that also raises the odds of rhythm changes.

Here’s the plain version:

• If the murmur is innocent: palpitations usually come from another trigger, and the murmur is just background noise.
• If the murmur is abnormal: the same valve issue can stretch heart chambers, change pressures, or irritate the rhythm system. Those changes can show up as palpitations.

Valve disease is a common bridge between the two. The American Heart Association explains that many valve problems are first spotted because a murmur is heard during an exam. American Heart Association overview of valve problems describes how narrowed or leaky valves can alter flow and create that extra sound.

The NHS also lists palpitations as a symptom that can occur with heart valve disease, and notes that valve disease is sometimes first found when a murmur is heard. NHS information on heart valve disease connects those dots in plain language.

Still, “connected” doesn’t mean “caused each time.” Palpitations can show up in people with a murmur and a normal heart, and a murmur can exist in people who never feel a skipped beat. The job is sorting which camp you’re in.

How Valve Issues Can Lead To The Fluttery Feeling

Valves are one-way gates. When a gate is narrowed or leaky, pressures and chamber size can change. That strain can make rhythm glitches more likely, which can feel like palpitations.

Signs That Deserve Prompt Medical Care

Palpitations are common. Some combinations need attention soon, especially if a murmur is newly found or has changed.

• Fainting, near-fainting, or sudden severe dizziness.
• Chest pain or pressure that doesn’t settle quickly.
• Shortness of breath at rest, waking you from sleep, or getting worse fast.
• Swelling in legs or a fast jump in body weight over days.
• Palpitations paired with a racing heart that lasts minutes to hours.
• A history of valve disease, prior heart surgery, or known rhythm disorder.

If you’re unsure where your symptoms fit, American Heart Association guidance on palpitations lists common patterns and when to get medical care.

Mayo Clinic lists symptoms that can go with more concerning murmurs, such as chest pain, dizziness, fainting, and shortness of breath. Mayo Clinic heart murmur symptoms and causes is a useful checklist for when a murmur needs evaluation.

Common Murmur Patterns And How They Relate To Palpitations

People often ask, “What kind of murmur do I have?” That’s fair. The sound quality and timing can hint at what’s going on, but it’s not a home skill. A stethoscope and training matter.

The table below gives a high-level map of how certain causes can intersect with palpitations. It’s not meant to label your case—just to show why one person’s murmur feels like nothing, while another person’s murmur sits next to a shaky rhythm.

Murmur Or Finding	Typical Underlying Cause	How Palpitations Can Show Up
Innocent “flow” murmur	Normal valves with fast blood flow (fever, anemia, pregnancy, exercise)	Often unrelated; palpitations may track with caffeine, stress, dehydration
Mitral valve regurgitation murmur	Leaky mitral valve	Left atrium can enlarge; atrial fibrillation risk rises over time
Mitral stenosis murmur	Narrowed mitral valve	Irregular fluttering episodes; breathlessness can join in
Aortic stenosis murmur	Narrowed aortic valve	Pounding beats, exertional symptoms; rhythm issues can occur
Aortic regurgitation murmur	Leaky aortic valve	Strong “bounding” pulse; awareness of heartbeat is common
Tricuspid regurgitation murmur	Leaky right-sided valve	May pair with atrial fibrillation or other rhythm changes
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy-type murmur	Thickened heart muscle affecting outflow	Palpitations with exertion; fainting risk can be higher
Murmur plus fever	Possible infection affecting valves	Racing heart, sweats, fatigue; needs urgent assessment

What A Typical Evaluation Looks Like

The goal is two answers: is the structure normal, and what rhythm shows up during symptoms. That often means an exam, an ECG, and an echocardiogram, plus a wearable monitor if episodes aren’t caught in clinic.

Tests You May Hear About And What They Tell You

This table shows what common tests are used for.

Test	What It Can Show	When It’s Often Used
ECG (12-lead)	Baseline rhythm, conduction issues, prior injury clues	First visit for palpitations or a new murmur
Echocardiogram	Valve leakage or narrowing, chamber size, pumping strength	Murmur evaluation; palpitations with suspected structural issue
Holter monitor (24–48 hours)	Rhythm patterns during daily life	Symptoms most days
Event or patch monitor (days to weeks)	Captures less frequent episodes	Symptoms weekly or sporadic
Exercise stress test	Rhythm and blood flow response with exertion	Palpitations during workouts; exertional chest pressure
Blood work (thyroid, anemia, electrolytes)	Non-heart drivers that can provoke palpitations	When history hints at a trigger outside the heart

Ways To Track Palpitations So The Appointment Is Efficient

A short log can save time. Note the start/stop time, what you were doing, and whether you felt racing, fluttering, or skipped beats. If you can, check your pulse for 30 seconds and double it.

What Treatment Depends On

There isn’t one fix because “murmur plus palpitations” can mean different things.

When The Murmur Is Innocent

If the echo shows normal valves and normal pumping, the murmur usually needs no treatment. Palpitations in this setting often respond to basic trigger work:

• Cut back on caffeine, energy drinks, and nicotine.
• Hydrate steadily through the day.
• Check labels for decongestants or stimulants that can speed the heart.
• Prioritize sleep consistency.

If palpitations still disrupt your day, clinicians may look for a rhythm disorder and treat that directly with medicine or a procedure.

When A Valve Problem Is Driving Both Issues

When a valve is narrowed or leaky enough to strain chambers, treatment focuses on the valve and the rhythm.

• Medicines: rate-control drugs, rhythm drugs, or diuretics may be used depending on the valve and rhythm pattern.
• Rhythm procedures: cardioversion or catheter ablation can be options for certain rhythms.
• Valve repair or replacement: timing depends on symptoms, echo findings, and heart function.

Some people notice palpitations settle once pressures and chamber stretch improve. Others still need rhythm treatment even after the valve is addressed.

Practical Steps That Are Safe While You Wait For Care

• Cut back on caffeine, nicotine, and energy drinks.
• Hydrate steadily and eat regular meals.
• Skip stimulant cold medicines unless a clinician says otherwise.
• During an episode, sit down, breathe slowly, and check your pulse.

If you get chest pain, fainting, severe breathlessness, or a racing heart that won’t settle, seek urgent care.

Questions To Bring To Your Clinician

It helps to walk in with a short list so you leave with clarity:

• Is this murmur innocent, or does it suggest valve disease?
• Do I need an echocardiogram now, or is prior imaging enough?
• What rhythm did you see on ECG, and do we need longer monitoring?
• Are my palpitations linked to exertion, and should I modify workouts until testing is done?
• What symptoms mean I should seek urgent care?

What Most People Want To Know After Hearing “Murmur”

The sound alone doesn’t tell the whole story. The echo and a rhythm tracing do. Once you know what’s driving the murmur and what rhythm you’re having, the next step stops being a mystery.