B. S. Chakravathy1, S. Prathimadevi2
Cardio vascular malformations are the most common congenital malformations. Early recognition of congenital heart disease is important in the neonatal period, as many of them may be fatal if undiagnosed. AIM: To study the epidemiology of neonatal cardiac murmurs. To identify clinical characteristics which differentiates pathological murmur from functional murmurs to assess the reliability of clinical evaluation in diagnosing congenital heart disease? METHODS: The study population included all neonates admitted in a Hospital in Visakhapatnam to the NICU, postnatal ward, attending pediatric OPD and were detected to have cardiac murmurs. It was a cross sectional study over a period of 16 months. A clinical diagnosis was made based on history and clinical examination. Then Chest X ray and ECG were done in symptomatic infants. Echo cardiography was done in all neonates for confirmation of diagnosis, the neonates were again examined daily till they were in hospital and during the follow up visit at 6 weeks.
