Heart sounds courtesy of Dr Robert Lichtenberg
Case 1
You are listening to a patient with normal heart sounds. Are the sounds coming from the base of the heart or apex of the heart? How did you come to that conclusion?
Case 1 answer
Answer: Apex of the heart.
You are hearing the first and second heart sounds. The intensity of the first sound is greater than the second. In a normal heart S1 is louder than S2 in the apex, and S2 is louder than S1 in the base. Compare the sounds from apex to base of the heart.
S1 is generated by closure of mitral and tricuspid valves and they are close to the apex of heart.
S2 is generated by closure of aortic and pulmonary valves and they are closer to the base of heart.
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