Question

Do murmurs have different sounds and are they correlated with different problems?

Answer 1

Murmurs are blowing, whooshing, or rasping sounds. They are the result of vibrations caused by turbulent blood flow patterns. This can happen when a valve does not close tightly (such as with mitral regurgitation), or when the blood is flowing through a narrowed opening or a stiff valve (such as with aortic stenosis).

Answer 2

Heart murmurs are sounds produced by turbulent blood flow due to heart valve abnormalities, and they can be detected and graded using auscultation or with phonocardiograms. Normal heart sounds, which are distinct from murmurs, include the 'lub-dub' of the valves closing. Additional diagnostic tools like ultrasound can also assist in evaluating murmurs.

Step-by-step explanation:

Heart murmurs are indeed sounds indicative of turbulent blood flow in the heart, usually around damaged or insufficiently closed valves.

Auscultation, using a stethoscope, and more advanced techniques like phonocardiograms or auscultograms help detect these murmurs. Murmurs have different sounds and volumes, ranging from grade 1 to 6 - with 1 being barely audible and 6 being very loud.

Normal heart sounds, known as lub-dub, correspond to the closing of heart valves, specifically the atrioventricular valves for the first sound (S1), and the semilunar valves for the second (S2). Variations in these sounds can indicate possible heart issues such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or congestive heart failure.

Understanding these sounds is essential for diagnosing heart conditions such as valve pathologies, aneurysms, and other circulatory disturbances.

During physical exams, deep breathing techniques may amplify cardiac murmurs, which helps in their detection. Ultrasound, including Doppler, can also detect turbulent blood flow, further aiding in the assessment of heart murmurs.