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My approach to heart murmur

October 30, 2019 Andrew To
Short axis view of aortic valve with significant stenosis

Short axis view of aortic valve with significant stenosis

Murmur

-      How to describe it

-      What to look for

-      What to ask

-      What to do

 

Where to listen

-      Aortic valve

-      Pulmonic

-      Erbs point (3rdintercostal space, left paraseternal)

-      Tricuspid

-      Apical

 

Describing a murmur

-      Systolic vs. diastolic

-      Where is it loudest?

-      Does it radiate elsewhere?

o  Carotids

o  Apex

o  Everywhere

 

What to look for?

-      BP

o  Hypertensive vs. hypotensive

o  Narrow or wide pulse pressure (normal is 30-50mmHg)

-      Radial pulse

o  Sinus rhythm vs. atrial fibrillation

o  Slow rising

o  Collapsing

-      Heart failure

o  Left heart failure

o  Right heart failure

o  Congestive heart failure

 

What to ask

-      Cardiac symptoms, e.g. SOB, CP, orthopnoea or PND?

-      Physical capacity, ?change

-      Hx of rheumatic fever

-      Hx of congenital heart disease

 

Why is symptom so important?

-      Management of valvular heart disease differs greatly depending on the presence or absence of symptoms. 

-      In aortic stenosis, prognosis drastically deteriorates, calling for aortic valve intervention.

Natural of history of aortic stenosis - all depends on symptoms! (uptodate.com)

Natural of history of aortic stenosis - all depends on symptoms! (uptodate.com)

 

Tips

-      Time your murmur, systolic vs diastolic

-      Inspiration accentuates right sided murmurs

-      Expiration accentuates left sided murmrus

-      AR is best heard sitting forward in expiration

-      Use bell of stethoscope to listen for MS, low pitched murmur

-      Duration not loudness of murmur usually correlates with severity

-      Young and slim person with pectus deformity and AR – think of Marfans

-      Management of valvular disease is primarily driven by symptoms

Author: Dr Gary Lau

In Valvular heart disease, Heart Failure Tags aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation, tricuspid regurgitation, murmur
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Copyright @2024 Cardiology Institute; All photos copyright @2024 Andrew To