How is the murmur of mitral regurgitation described?

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Multiple Choice

How is the murmur of mitral regurgitation described?

Mitral regurgitation produces a jet that happens throughout systole, so the murmur is holosystolic. Its flow is turbulent and brisk, giving a high-pitched, blowing quality. Because the regurgitant jet often moves toward the left atrium and ventricle in the left-sided heart, the sound commonly radiates to the axilla and is best heard at the apex with the patient in the left lateral position. Other descriptions point to different lesions: a low-pitched diastolic rumble at the apex sounds like mitral stenosis; an early diastolic decrescendo murmur at the left sternal border suggests aortic regurgitation; a continuous murmur radiating to the axilla is more typical of a PDA with flow throughout systole and diastole. Thus, the high-pitched holosystolic blowing description is the characteristic depiction of mitral regurgitation.

Mitral regurgitation produces a jet that happens throughout systole, so the murmur is holosystolic. Its flow is turbulent and brisk, giving a high-pitched, blowing quality. Because the regurgitant jet often moves toward the left atrium and ventricle in the left-sided heart, the sound commonly radiates to the axilla and is best heard at the apex with the patient in the left lateral position.

Other descriptions point to different lesions: a low-pitched diastolic rumble at the apex sounds like mitral stenosis; an early diastolic decrescendo murmur at the left sternal border suggests aortic regurgitation; a continuous murmur radiating to the axilla is more typical of a PDA with flow throughout systole and diastole. Thus, the high-pitched holosystolic blowing description is the characteristic depiction of mitral regurgitation.

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