This question comes up from time to time, sometimes in the midst of a serious discussion but more often than not as part of a lighthearted conversation. It often gets disputed when cardiologists and neurologists get together! In fact, I remember wondering about it as a child watching the Wizard of Oz!
Chances are good you may know someone that has been diagnosed with a hole in the heart. In fact, maybe either you or your child has been given this diagnosis! For many people without medical experience, this can be confusing. What does a hole in the heart actually mean?
In fact, there may be more confusion about heart murmurs than just about anything else we deal with! Much it comes from the fact that there is a general inclination to think that a heart murmur is always bad. Fortunately this is usually not the case!