Heart sounds

Heart Sounds

Heart sounds (/hɑːrt saʊndz/) are the noises generated by the beating heart and the resultant flow of blood through it. Specifically, the sounds reflect the turbulence created when the heart valves snap shut. In cardiac auscultation, an examiner may use a stethoscope to listen for these unique and distinct sounds that provide important auditory data regarding the condition of the heart.

Etymology

The term "heart sounds" is derived from the Old English heorte for "heart" and the Middle English soun for "noise, sound".

Types of Heart Sounds

There are two primary heart sounds often described as a lub and a dub (or dup), that