Complex Conditions

Acute Pericarditis | Auscultation #57 | Lesson with Audio

patient thorax when auscultating by stethoscope

The patient was sitting leaning forward during auscultation.

Description

This is an example of acute pericarditis as auscultated at Erb's Point. Murmurs are caused by turbulent blood flow across incompetent or stenotic valves. In contrast, a pericardial friction rub is caused by the rubbing together of two surfaces of the pericardial sack. The pericardial friction rub has three parts; a systolic component, an early diastolic component and a late diastolic component. The first and second heart sounds are obscured by the rubbing sounds. In the anatomy video you can see the yellow fluid accumulation around the heart caused by an inflamed pericardial sack.

Phonocardiogram

Anatomy

Acute Pericarditis

Review the cardiac animation and notice the yellow fluid accumulation around the heart caused by an inflamed pericardial sack.

Authors and Sources

Authors and Reviewers

Heart sounds by Dr. Jonathan Keroes, MD and David Lieberman, Developer, Virtual Cardiac Patient.
Lung sounds by Diane Wrigley, PA
Respiratory cases: William French
David Lieberman, Audio Engineering
Heart sounds mentorship by W. Proctor Harvey, MD
Special thanks for the medical mentorship of Dr. Raymond Murphy
Reviewed by Dr. Barbara Erickson, PhD, RN, CCRN.
Last Update: 11/10/2021

Sources

Heart and Lung Sounds Reference Library Diane S. Wrigley
Publisher: PESI
Impact Patient Care: Key Physical Assessment Strategies and the Underlying Pathophysiology
Diane S Wrigley & Rosale Lobo
Practical Clinical Skills: Lung Sounds
Essential Lung Sounds Diane S. Wrigley, PA-C
Published by MedEdu LLC
PESI Faculty - Diane S Wrigley
Case Profiles in Respiratory Care 3rd Ed, 2019
William A.French
Published by Delmar Cengage
Essential Lung Sounds by William A. French
Published by Cengage Learning, 2011
Understanding Lung Sounds Steven Lehrer, MD
Clinical Heart Disease W Proctor Harvey, MD
Clinical Heart Disease
Laennec Publishing; 1st edition (January 1, 2009)
Heart and Lung Sounds Reference Guide
PracticalClinicalSkills.com