Acute Pericarditis

This is an example of acute pericarditis as auscultated at Erb's Point. Murmurs are caused by turbulent blood flow across incompetent or stenotic valves. In contrast, a pericardial friction rub is caused by the rubbing together of two surfaces of the pericardial sack. The pericardial friction rub has three parts; a systolic component, an early diastolic component and a late diastolic component. The first and second heart sounds are obscured by the rubbing sounds. In the anatomy video you can see the yellow fluid accumulation around the heart caused by an inflamed pericardial sack.

Auscultation Sounds

Patient Recording

Patient Recording - Half Speed Playback

Position

The patient's position should be sitting leaning forward.

Listening Tips

S1:Rubbing, scratchy sound
Systole:Rubbing, scratchy sound, usually loudest during systole
S2:Rubbing, scratchy sound
Diastole:Rubbing, scratchy sound

Waveform (Phonocardiogram)

Observe

//embedding heart animation

Review the cardiac animation and notice the yellow fluid accumulation around the heart caused by an inflamed pericardial sack.

Authors

These authors contributed the audio recordings and text found in this reference guide: Jon Keroes, MD,Diane Wrigley, PA, and David Lieberman.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Barbara Erickson, PhD, RN, CCRN.

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