Final answer:
To detect a murmur, auscultation of the heart is usually performed. This process can be enhanced by deep breathing, which may increase the audibility of murmurs. Specific stethoscope placement assists in hearing different heart valves.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a murmur is detected, auscultation usually involves listening to the heart to assess the turbulent flow of blood causing the murmur, which may indicate a range of heart conditions. Heart murmurs are graded on a scale from 1 to 6; a Grade 1 murmur is the most difficult to detect and is often considered the least serious, while a Grade 6 is the most severe. Various parts of the heart can be auscultated for murmurs by placing the stethoscope at specific points on the chest where different heart valves are best heard. This auscultation can be enhanced by asking the patient to breathe deeply, as inhalation increases blood flow into the right side of the heart, thereby possibly increasing the amplitude of right-sided heart murmurs, while expiration might amplify left-sided heart murmurs.