Hi

I need to know about your unit policy in babies diagnosed with simple cardiac murmur at >24hrs of age. What is your approach to such a babies, Do you consult cardiologist to see the baby, or you discharge the baby with cardiology follow up or etc etc.

Please share with me any evidence based guideline or policy of your hospital

with regards

This how we do it (no links )

If we find a murmur "au passant" at the well-baby check in the maternity ward and the infant has been doing just fine, we check saturation levels in hand and foot.

1. if the saturation levels are the same (within 2%), we re-auscultate 1-2 days later. If the family is going home, we do the second exam at the postnatal visit (usually 2 days after discharge). If the murmur is still present 1-2 days later, we do an echo regardless of clinical symtoms etc. Most murmur turn out to be benign, physiol murmurs.

2. if the hand-foot saturation levels are different (>2%), we do an echo right away (three neonatologists are trained in echocardiography in our unit)

We (neonatologists) do the first screening, and all follow-ups of uncertain cases, confirmed VOCs etc are done by the paed cardiologists.

Thanks Stefan for your valuable input