The Third Heart Sound
July 1st, 2020
Overview
The third heart sound (S3) is a pathological finding associated with rapid ventricular filling.
Interpretation
- Listen for a gallop rhythm with an extra heart sound just after S2. This is best heard with the bell of the stethoscope at the apex.
Causes of Third Heart Sound
- Normal in children and young adults
- Left ventricular failure
- Severe mitral regurgitation
- Severe aortic regurgitation
- Constrictive pericarditis
Gallop rhythms are so named due to the similarity of their cadence with that of the sound of a horse galloping.
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