Heart sounds

The sounds made by the heart during each heartbeat. In each heart cycle, there are 2 main heart sounds that can clearly be heard through a stethoscope. The first is like a “lubb”. It results from closure of the tricuspid and mitral valves at the exits of the atria, which occurs when the ventricles begin contracting to pump blood out of the heart. The second sound is a higher-pitched “dupp” caused by closure of the pulmonary and aortic valves at the exits of the ventricles when the ventricles finish contracting. Abnormal heart sounds may be a sign of various disorders. For example, highpitched sounds or “clicks” are due to the abrupt halting of valve opening, which can occur in people with certain heart valve defects. Heart murmurs are abnormal sounds caused by turbulent blood flow. These may be due to heart valve defects or congenital heart disease.