First Heart Sound plus Aortic Ejection Click G

First Heart Sound plus Aortic Ejection Click

A single first heart sound (S1) followed by an aortic ejection click (AEC) can also mimic a split first heart sound. An AEC follows S1 by 50 milliseconds. An aortic ejection click is caused by thickened aortic valve leaflets. This is commonly seen in a bicuspid aortic valve, a congenital abnormality where someone is born with two aortic valve leaflets instead of the normal three. Listen carefully to the second sound of the pair. If it is an AEC it will have a shorter duration and a higher pitch than the first sound of the pair (S1). The AEC is best heard at the Aortic valve area where splitting of S1 is not heard.

Auscultation Sound From Lesson

Patient Recording

First Heart Sound plus Aortic Ejection Click

Patient Recording - Half Speed Playback

Position

The patient's position should be sitting.

Listening Tips

S1:
Systole: High pitched sound, early in systole, short duration
S2:
Diastole:

Observe

An aortic ejection click is caused by thickened aortic valve leaflets. This is commonly seen in a bicuspid aortic valve, a congenital abnormality where someone is born with two aortic valve leaflets instead of the normal three.