Mild Aortic Regurgitation Lesson

patient thorax when auscultating by stethoscope

patient position during auscultation
The patient was sitting leaning forward during auscultation.

Description

In mild aortic regurgitation murmurs, the first heart sound is diminished due to premature closure of the mitral valve leaflets. An aortic ejection click follows the first heart sound by 75 milliseconds and the second heart sound is normal. Systole is silent. A high-pitched decrescendo murmur occupying the first half of diastole can be heard beginning immediately after the second heart sound.

This murmur should be auscultated at Erb's Point, and can be accentuated by having the patient sitting up and leaning forward holding his breath after expiration.

The murmur can be caused by a bicuspid (thickened) aortic valve. In the cardiac animation, observe turbulent blood flow from the aorta into the left ventricle in early diastole. Also observe the minimally thickened aortic valve leaflets.

Phonocardiogram

Anatomy

Mild Aortic Regurgitation


Authors and Sources

Authors and Reviewers

Sources

  • Heart and Lung Sounds Reference Library Diane S. Wrigley
    Publisher: PESI
  • Impact Patient Care: Key Physical Assessment Strategies and the Underlying Pathophysiology
    Diane S Wrigley & Rosale Lobo
  • Practical Clinical Skills: Lung Sounds
  • PESI Faculty - Diane S Wrigley
  • Case Profiles in Respiratory Care 3rd Ed, 2019
    William A.French
    Published by Delmar Cengage
  • Essential Lung Sounds by William A. French
    Published by Cengage Learning, 2011
  • Understanding Lung Sounds Steven Lehrer, MD
  • Clinical Heart Disease W Proctor Harvey, MD
    Clinical Heart Disease
    Laennec Publishing; 1st edition (January 1, 2009)
  • Heart and Lung Sounds Reference Guide
    PracticalClinicalSkills.com




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