Heart Murmurs and Arterial Bruits

Question 1

How are murmurs created?

Answer 1

Created from turbulence as blood flows across diseased heart valves.

Question 2

How can murmurs be detected?

Answer 2

Auscultation with a stethoscope.

Question 3

What are the factors that cause turbulence (Reynold’s Number)?

Answer 3

1. Increases in vessel diameter
2. Increases in blood velocity
3. Decreases in blood viscosity

Question 4

What modern technology can also be used to detect murmurs?

Answer 4

Cardiac ultrasonography

Question 5

What are some normal (undiseased) situations where you might hear a murmur?

Answer 5

1. Exercise (due to increased blood flow)

2. Young, thin individuals with dynamic circulations.

Question 6

How many grades/levels of heart murmurs are there?

Answer 6

5

Question 7

What does the grade level of a heart murmur signify?

Answer 7

How loud the murmur is/can be heard at.

Question 8

What grade murmur is the loudest that can be heard with a stethoscope still on the chest?

Answer 8

Grade 5 heart murmur

Question 9

What is the lowest grade murmur that can be heard with a stethoscope NOT on the chest?

Answer 9

Grade 6 heart murmur. Often accompanied by a thrill.

Question 10

What is the lowest grade murmur that can be heard with a stethoscope still on the chest?

Answer 10

Grade 1 heart murmur

Question 11

What 4 factors help to specify what type of valvular disorder there is?

Answer 11

1. Location
2. Duration
3. Pitch
4. Quality

Question 12

Where else can you have murmurs that is not valve-related?

Answer 12

Diseased arteries (ex. atherosclerosis)

Question 13

What is another name for arterial murmurs?

Answer 13

Bruits

Question 14

Bruits are usually located where?

Answer 14

Carotid and femoral arteries, though it can be heard in almost every major artery in advanced disease.