Heart Sounds Exam Flashcards
Where are the traditional areas of auscultation?
$ Mitral area: cardiac apex
$ Tricuspid area: 4th & 5th intercostal spaces along left sternal border
$ Aortic area: 2nd intercostal space along right sternal border
$ Pulmonic area: 2nd intercostal space along left sternal border
Where is the left ventricular area?
Centered around traditional mitral area at the cardiac apex. Extends laterally in the 3rd & 4th interspaces to left sternal border in one direction, to the anterior axillary line in the other.
What is best heard in the left ventricular area? Murmurs? Heart sounds?
Murmurs: Aortic & mitral regurg or stenosis; hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
Heart sounds: aortic component of S2; left atrial or ventricular gallop (S3, S4)
Where is the right ventricular area?
Extension of traditional tricuspid area in 3rd & 4th interspaces, now including lower sternum & both sternal borders
What is best heard in right ventricular area? Murmurs? Heart sounds?
Murmurs: Tricuspid stenosis or regurg; pulmonary regurg; ventricular septal defect
Heart sounds: Right ventricular or atrial gallop; opening snap of tricuspid valve
Where is the left atrial area?
Anterior: above & to the left of the apex
Posterior: Between the spine & border of the scapula at the level of the scapula tip
What is best heard at the left atrial area? Murmurs?
Murmur: mitral regurg
Where is the right atrial area?
Right sternal border in 4th & 5th interspaces
What is best heard in the right atrial area? Murmurs?
Murmur: tricuspid insufficiency
Where is the aortic area?
Broad strip curving upward & to the right from the third left interspace to just above the right sternoclavicular joint
What is best heard in the aortic area? Murmurs? Heart sounds?
Murmur: aortic stenosis & insufficiency; increased aortic flow, dilation of the ascending aorta, abnormalities of the carotid or subclavian arteries
Heart sounds: aortic ejection click & A2.
Where is the pulmonic area?
Extension of traditional pulmonary area, taking in 2nd & 3rd interspaces along left sternal border
What is best heard in pulmonic area?
Murmurs: pulmonary stenosis & insufficiency; increased pulmonary flow; stenosis of main branch of pulmonary artery; patent ductus arteriosus.
Heart sounds: pulmonary ejection sound & pulmonary component of second heart sound (P2)
Describe the position for cardiac auscultation
Patient recumbent & relaxed. Perform exam from patient’s right side. May raise legs to increase venous return. Mitral thrills & murmurs best noted when patient is on left side.
Describe the difference btwn normal & abormal rate of rise in carotid or radial arteries:
Normal: sharp tap
Abnormal: Nude or weak tap followed by nudge or push (aortic stenosis); collapsing quality (aortic insufficiency, patent ductus, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy)
Describe palpation of pulsus alternans. What does it indicate?
Alternating strong & weak pulses. Indicates severe advanced myocardial disease & decreased left ventricular function. Often disappears with appropriate CHF treatment.
Describe brachio-radial delay & apical-carotid delay. What do they indicate?
Palpate both radial & brachial pulses simultaneously (or the point of maximum impulse & carotid). Any delay is abnormal.
Indicates: aortic stenosis
Inching technique: 7 steps
1) Begin at aortic area with diaphragm
2) Move to pulmonary area
3) Move to left ventricular area with diaphragm
4) Switch to bell, same area
5) Right ventricular area: diaphragm, then bell
6) Point of maximum impulse: diaphragm & bell
7) Patient sit up, lean forward. Left sternal border @ 3rd & 4th interspace, Valsalva.
S1 becomes louder because of:
$ Normal physiology in children, young adults, patients with thin chest wall
$ Mitral stenosis with mobile valve
$ Short PR interval
$ High output states (tachycardia due to exercise, emotion, fever, anemia; pregnancy)
$ Atrial septal defect (in which T-component is loud)
Causes of S4 Gallop
LV Systolic Overload (systemic hypertension; LV outflow obstruction; cooarctation of the aorta)
RV Systolic Overload (pulmonary hypertension; right ventricular outflow obstruction; pulmonary artery stenosis)
Diminished ventricular compliance and/or elevated ventricular end-diastolic pressure (cardiomyopathies; ventricular failure; ischemic heart disease; myocardial infarct)
Other causes associated with augmented ventricular filling (thyrotoxicosis; anemia; mitral regurg; large arteriovenous fistulae)
Complete heart block (S4 occurs randomly in diastole)
S1 becomes softer because of:
$ Mitral regurg $ Long PR interval $ Diminished LV contractility (CHF, acute MI, cardiomyopathy) $ Obesity $ COPD $ Pericardial effusion $ Aortic stenosis $ Hypothyroidism
S1 varies in intensity from beat to beat because of:
$ AV dissociation (ventricular tach, AV block, or paced ventricular)
$ Type 1 second degree AV block
$ Atrial fib with normal mitral valve
$ Atrial flutter with varying AV conduction
Wide splitting of S1 occurs because of:
$ right BBB $ PVCs $ Ventricular tach $ Atrial septal defect $ Tricuspid stenosis $ Ebstein's anomaly
Wide splitting of S2 occurs because of:
Delayed pulmonic closure:
* Delayed right ventricular activation (RBBB, paced beats, PVCs)
* Prolonged right ventricular mechanical systole (pulmonic stenosis, acute massive pulmonary embolus, cor pulmonale)
* Decreased impedance of pulmonary vascular bed (atrial septal defect, pulmonary artery dilation, pulmonic stenosis)
* Unexplained auditory expiratory splitting in otherwise normal heart
Early aortic closure:
* Shortened left ventricular ejection time (mitral insufficiency or VSD)