Correct Answer: murmur. a heart murmur is the abnormal sound that is identified during the auscultation of a patient’s heart. these sounds are typically described as clicking, rushing, or gurgling noises. murmurs can occur in a normally functioning heart or they can be a symptom of a heart condition. murmurs are generated by turbulent blood flow within the heart, which may be due to a variety of causes including defective heart valves, holes in the heart walls, or other structural abnormalities.
the presence of a murmur prompts further investigation since it might indicate issues such as valve stenosis (narrowing of a valve), valve regurgitation (leakage of a valve), or congenital heart defects like septal defects. the characterization of murmurs involves assessing their timing (systolic or diastolic), location on the chest wall, quality (harsh, soft, blowing), pitch (high, medium, or low), and their behavior during different maneuvers or phases of respiration.
in contrast to murmurs, bruits are sounds that are usually heard over a blood vessel when there is a partial obstruction, turbulent flow, or a vascular disease like arterial narrowing. while murmurs are associated primarily with the heart, bruits are associated with blood vessels.
in clinical practice, distinguishing between normal heart sounds (such as s1 and s2, the typical "lub-dub" sounds of the heartbeat caused by the closing of the heart valves) and abnormal sounds like murmurs or bruits is crucial. s1 and s2 are normal and expected findings in every heartbeat cycle, whereas murmurs and bruits usually indicate some form of underlying abnormality. the identification of these sounds is typically the first step in diagnosing cardiovascular conditions, guiding further diagnostic testing and treatment planning.
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