Murmurs and Heart Valves

Question 1

What are the main types of heart valves?

What are the benefits/complications of each?

Answer 1

Mechanical:

• less likely to fail; last >25 yrs (used in younger pts)
• thromboembolism -> risk life-time anticoagulation -> bleeding risk

Bioprosthesis:

• pig or cow valves
• prone to mechanical failure; last 10-15 years (used in older, bleeding risk, women who want to have children pts)
• only require post-surgical anticoagulation (~3 mo)

Question 2

What murmur is heard in aortic stenosis?

Answer 2

harsh, systolic crescendo-decrescendo murmur

Question 3

What murmur is heard in mitral regurgitation?

Answer 3

holosystolic murmur

Question 4

What murmur is heard in a VSD?

Answer 4

holosystolic murmur

Question 5

What murmur is heard in mitral valve prolapse?

Answer 5

mid-systolic click w/ crescendo murmur

Question 6

What murmur is heard in mitral valve stenosis?

Answer 6

opening snap with decrescendo diastolic murmur

Question 7

What murmur is heard in aortic regurgitation?

Answer 7

diastolic decrescendo murmur

Question 8

What murmur is heard in tricuspid stenosis?

Answer 8

mid-diastolic decrescendo murmur

Question 9

What murmur is heard in PDA?

Answer 9

“machine-like” continuous crescendo-decrescendo murmur