Functional Heart Diseases

1 Hour
English
Credit (s)

Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, participants should be able to:

  • Describe the characteristics of common physiologic heart murmurs  
  • Determine which history and physical examination features are indicative of pathologic heart murmurs  
  • Determine when to refer to a pediatric cardiology specialist  

 

Intended Audience:

This online course is designed for pediatricians, family physicians, and pediatric nurses.

Abstract:

Most children will have a murmur at some point in their lifetime. These murmurs are usually benign or physiologic murmurs. A pathologic murmur, however, may be the only manifestation of serious congenital heart disease. Therefore, it is important to differentiate between physiologic and pathologic murmurs. Familiarity with the physical examination characteristics of classic innocent murmurs such as a Still’s murmur and venous hum aids in determining which patients need further workup. Key elements of the history such as exercise capacity and any exertional symptoms, family history of congenital heart disease and sudden cardiac death help identify pathology. Physical examination characteristics (systolic vs. diastolic murmur, harsh vs. soft murmur) along with assessment of the murmur with maneuvers such as the Valsalva add very important information to the overall assessment. Echocardiography is recommended for evaluation of pathologic murmurs and provides a definitive diagnosis in most cases.

Assessment and Earning CME Credit:

This course in English is not CME-accredited. However, it provides valuable educational content that can enhance your knowledge and skills in the subject matter. To receive CME credit for this course in Armenia, you must take the course in Armenian and complete the post-course quiz. You have three chances to achieve a passing score of 70%. Once you pass the quiz, we will send your information to the Armenian Ministry of Health for credits.

Dr. Arpine Davtyan

Dr. Arpine Davtyan

Arpine Davtyan is a pediatric and fetal cardiologist in the Heart Institute at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Cardiology at the University of Southern California (USC). She graduated with honors from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and earned her medical degree from the University of Toledo College of Medicine where she was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. She completed pediatric internship and residency at University of California, Irvine/Children’s Hospital Orange County and a fellowship in pediatric cardiology at the University of California, San Diego/Rady Children’s Hospital. She then completed an additional year of training in advanced imaging focusing on fetal cardiology at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Dr. Davtyan is a board-certified pediatrician with a subspecialty board certification in pediatric cardiology.