![]() ![]() It is then pumped into the lower left chamber (left ventricle) and then into the body’s main artery (the aorta), where it starts its journey around the body again.Ī heart murmur is usually innocent, and generally does not mean there is an abnormality. Oxygenated blood enters the left upper chamber (left atrium). From there, the blood is taken by an artery to the lungs where the carbon dioxide is replaced with oxygen. ![]() The right upper chamber (right atrium) takes in deoxygenated blood from the body and squeezes it into the right lower chamber (right ventricle). The heart is a double pump consisting of four chambers, each sealed by valves that only permit blood to flow in one direction. Cyanosis (blue tinge to the skin caused by lack of oxygen).The presence of heart disease may be suggested by: Commonly, they are innocent and are only detected during a routine medical examination.Ībnormal heart murmurs may be associated with various types of heart disease, particularly those affecting the heart valves. Heart murmurs are themselves often asymptomatic (have no symptoms). However, medical tests are often needed to distinguish between a harmful heart murmur and an innocent one, as they can sound the same through a stethoscope. Many children have ‘innocent’ heart murmurs that don’t require any treatment or observation. A ‘noisy’ heart isn’t always a sign of disease or malfunction. The cause of the whooshing sound is the vibration of blood as it moves through the heart, which is normally undetectable by stethoscope.īlood can flow abnormally through the heart for many reasons including defective valves, congenital heart disorders and anaemia. ![]() Instead of ‘lub-dub’, the heartbeat may have an added sound like a hum, a whoosh or a rasp. A heart murmur is a sound caused by blood flow within the heart. If you hear a murmur, completely assess it with regards to its timing, duration, location, intensity, pitch, character, radiation, change with position and respiration.The familiar ‘lub-dub’ sound of the heartbeat is caused by the rhythmic closing of the heart valves as blood is pumped in and out of the chambers. Then auscultate for “added sounds” (Murmurs, Clicks, Opening Snaps & Pericardial rubs). You should first concentrate only on “heart sounds” (carefully assess their intensity & splitting). But starting from Apex and proceeding with Tricuspid (LLSB), Aortic & Pulmonic areas is easy to practice. There is no standard order for auscultation. You should firmly press your “diaphragm” to chest wall whereas apply only light pressure when you are auscultating with the “bell” of your stethoscope. Apart from the 3rd and 4th heart sounds and the mid-diastolic murmur of Mitral Stenosis, all the other heart sounds are best heard with the diaphragm of your stethoscope. Use your stethoscope for cardiac auscultation. Some cardiac sounds can be heard with the unaided ear (e.g. Auscultation for heart sounds is mainly done in 4 areas, namely Mitral, Tricuspid, Aortic & Pulmonic. Remember these areas do not correspond to the location of heart valves, but the areas where the cardiac sounds are best heard. ![]()
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