When do innocent murmurs typically occur during the cardiac cycle?

Innocent murmurs typically occur during systole, which is the phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart muscle contracts and pumps blood out of the chambers. During this phase, blood flow across the heart valves increases, which can lead to the generation of these benign sounds due to the turbulence created by the rapid flow of blood.

Innocent murmurs are often heard in children and are considered normal variations in blood flow. They are usually soft, asymptomatic, and disappear as the child grows. Recognizing that these murmurs occur specifically during systole is crucial for accurate assessment and differentiation from pathological murmurs, which may indicate underlying heart conditions. Understanding this helps in providing reassurance to patients and families, emphasizing that innocent murmurs generally do not indicate heart disease.