RISK FACTORS, SIGNS & SYMPTOMS & INVESTIGATIONS & DIAGNOSIS
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Red flags:
| – Palpitations
– Dyspnoea – Chest pain on exertion – Dizziness – Syncope – Exercise intolerance |
– Cyanosis
– Clubbing – Absent/weak femoral pulses – Abnormal capillary refill – Hepatomegaly |
INVESTIGATIONS & DIAGNOSIS
Differentiation between innocent and pathological murmurs:
Innocent murmurs:
- Systolic timing
- Soft, vibratory quality
- Loudness varies with exercise/anaemia/fever
- No extra heart sounds
Pathological murmurs:
- Can be diastolic/holosystolic
- Harsh quality
- Loudness unchanged with position/exercise
- May have clicks/opening snaps/third/fourth heart sounds
- Fixed split of the second heart sound may be present