Abnormality in valve closure produces
a. exudate
b. infarct
c. murmur
d. necrosis
e. fibrillation
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer: c. murmur
Explanation:
A murmur is an abnormal heart sound caused by turbulent blood flow within the heart. It is commonly associated with abnormalities in valve closure. The normal heart sounds (“lub-dub”) are produced by the closure of the atrioventricular (mitral and tricuspid) and semilunar (aortic and pulmonary) valves. When these valves do not close properly — due to conditions like stenosis (narrowing of the valve) or regurgitation (leakage of the valve) — the blood flow becomes turbulent. This turbulence produces an audible sound that can be detected using a stethoscope, and is termed a heart murmur.
Types of Valve Abnormalities Leading to Murmurs:
- Stenosis: This occurs when a valve does not open fully, causing obstruction of blood flow. For example, aortic stenosis causes a systolic murmur.
- Regurgitation (or insufficiency): This occurs when a valve fails to close completely, allowing blood to leak backward. Mitral regurgitation, for instance, causes a holosystolic murmur.
Clinical Relevance:
Heart murmurs can be innocent (physiological) or pathological. Innocent murmurs are common in children and often resolve with age. Pathological murmurs, however, may indicate serious heart conditions like rheumatic heart disease, infective endocarditis, or congenital heart defects.
Other options listed are not directly caused by abnormal valve closure:
- Exudate: Fluid rich in protein and cells, seen in inflammation.
- Infarct: Tissue death due to inadequate blood supply.
- Necrosis: General term for cell death, not specific to valves.
- Fibrillation: Rapid, irregular heartbeats, usually electrical in origin.
Thus, the presence of a murmur is the hallmark of abnormal valve closure.
Correct Answer: c. murmur
Explanation:
A murmur is an abnormal heart sound caused by turbulent blood flow within the heart. It is commonly associated with abnormalities in valve closure. The normal heart sounds (“lub-dub”) are produced by the closure of the atrioventricular (mitral and tricuspid) and semilunar (aortic and pulmonary) valves. When these valves do not close properly — due to conditions like stenosis (narrowing of the valve) or regurgitation (leakage of the valve) — the blood flow becomes turbulent. This turbulence produces an audible sound that can be detected using a stethoscope, and is termed a heart murmur.
Types of Valve Abnormalities Leading to Murmurs:
- Stenosis: This occurs when a valve does not open fully, causing obstruction of blood flow. For example, aortic stenosis causes a systolic murmur.
- Regurgitation (or insufficiency): This occurs when a valve fails to close completely, allowing blood to leak backward. Mitral regurgitation, for instance, causes a holosystolic murmur.
Clinical Relevance:
Heart murmurs can be innocent (physiological) or pathological. Innocent murmurs are common in children and often resolve with age. Pathological murmurs, however, may indicate serious heart conditions like rheumatic heart disease, infective endocarditis, or congenital heart defects.
Other options listed are not directly caused by abnormal valve closure:
- Exudate: Fluid rich in protein and cells, seen in inflammation.
- Infarct: Tissue death due to inadequate blood supply.
- Necrosis: General term for cell death, not specific to valves.
- Fibrillation: Rapid, irregular heartbeats, usually electrical in origin.
Thus, the presence of a murmur is the hallmark of abnormal valve closure.
