Which term describes abnormal heart sounds heard during auscultation?

Which term describes abnormal heart sounds heard during auscultation?

• A. Varicose Veins
• B. Murmurs
• C. Pericarditis
• D. Thrombophlebitis

Answer: (B)

Abnormal heart sounds heard during auscultation are murmurs. A murmur is produced by turbulent blood flow, usually through a valve that’s narrowed (stenosis) or leaking (regurgitation), or by flow through an abnormal valve or chamber. When you listen with a stethoscope, murmurs often present as extra sounds beyond the normal lub-dub, and their character (timing in the cardiac cycle, pitch, intensity) helps indicate what valve or flow problem might be involved. Varicose veins are enlarged superficial veins in the legs and aren’t heard with a heart stethoscope. Pericarditis can cause a friction rub heard on auscultation, which is a different sound from a murmur and points to inflammation of the pericardium. Thrombophlebitis is inflammation of a vein with a clot and is a vascular issue rather than a heart sound.

Abnormal heart sounds heard during auscultation are murmurs. A murmur is produced by turbulent blood flow, usually through a valve that’s narrowed (stenosis) or leaking (regurgitation), or by flow through an abnormal valve or chamber. When you listen with a stethoscope, murmurs often present as extra sounds beyond the normal lub-dub, and their character (timing in the cardiac cycle, pitch, intensity) helps indicate what valve or flow problem might be involved.

Varicose veins are enlarged superficial veins in the legs and aren’t heard with a heart stethoscope. Pericarditis can cause a friction rub heard on auscultation, which is a different sound from a murmur and points to inflammation of the pericardium. Thrombophlebitis is inflammation of a vein with a clot and is a vascular issue rather than a heart sound.