General Cardiology Part 3

Question 34/36
How would you describe the intensity of a systolic murmur that is easily audible, associated with a thrill, however the stethoscope must remain on the chest to hear the murmur?
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Question 34/36
How would you describe the intensity of a systolic murmur that is easily audible, associated with a thrill, however the stethoscope must remain on the chest to hear the murmur?

This would be described as a grade IV/VI murmur or 4/6. This describes the intensity, but remember the timing, pitch, location and radiation must be described as well to be complete.

Systolic murmurs are graded on a scale of 1-6 while diastolic murmurs are graded on a scale of 1-4 (see below). Often, grade 1 murmurs are not discernable to inexperienced clinicians, while grade 6 murmurs are heard even without the stethoscope on the chest and may actually be visible. The intensity of a murmur is primarily determined by the volume/velocity of blood flowing through a defect and the distance between the stethoscope and the lesion. For example, a very thin patient with severe aortic stenosis with a high pressure gradient across the valve (thus high velocity of blood flow) will have a loud murmur. Conversely, the exact same valvular lesion in a morbidly obese person or a person with severe COPD and a widened anterior-posterior chest diameter may be inaudible.

Grading systolic murmurs

Intensity

Description

Grade I/VI

Grade II/VI

Grade III/VI

Grade IV/VI

Grade V/VI


Grade VI/VI


Barely audible

Audible, but soft

Easily audible

Easily audible and associated with a thrill

Easily audible, associated with a thrill, and still heard with the stethoscope only lightly on the chest

Easily audible, associated with a thrill, and still heard with the stethoscope off of the chest

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