1.07 Diastolic Heart Murmurs

Cardiovacular system reveiw for the USMLE Step 1 exam.

• Diastolic heart murmurs occur when blood flow is turbulent during the diastolic phase of the heart
• Two diastolic murmurs discussed: aortic regurgitation and mitral stenosis
• Aortic regurgitation is caused by blood leaking backwards from the aorta into the left ventricle, resulting in a high pitched decrescendo murmur heard during diastole
• Aortic regurgitation is associated with conditions such as aortic root dilation, bacterial endocarditis, rheumatic fever, and bicuspid valve
  • "A vacuum adds suction. Aortic regurgitation diastolic decrescendo"
• Mitral stenosis involves narrowing of the mitral valve, causing an opening snap followed by a rumbling sound during diastole
• The main cause of mitral stenosis is rheumatic fever
  • "Ms snapped because her husband got strep throat from his lover. MS (mitral stenosis), snap'd (snap diastolic), strep throat (rheumatic fever)"