Heart murmur and anesthesia? are there health risks for a person to get anesthesia with a heart condition?

Yes, : Yes, certain heart conditions do increase the risk of general anesthesia. If you have an undiagnosed murmur, it is important that this is further evaluated before surgery. An echocardiogram (cardiac ultrasound) is a simple, non-invasive imaging test that can evaluate your murmur. Depending on what is found, your doctors may still proceed with surgery but the added information might help them manage you differently during the operation. Some conditions would preclude surgery, however, meaning that you would have to have the heart condition addressed before you safely underwent anesthesia.

Yes: Any patient with a known heart condition is at risk during surgery and must be thoroughly evaluated with a complete history and physical, electrocardiogram (ekg) and if necessary, an ultrasound of the heart (echo) prior to surgery, to uncover potential problems that may develop during surgery. This is why an anesthesia doctor should direct your anesthesia care.

Depends: Some heart murmurs are benign, others are a sign of a more serious problem. Check with your anesthesiologist before the procedure to understand what group you are in. Once the risks are known the anesthesiologist can help guide you to the safest technique for you.