An S3 heart sound is most commonly a sign of which condition?

An S3 heart sound is most commonly a sign of which condition?

• A. Heart failure
• B. Myocardial infarction
• C. Aortic stenosis
• D. Pulmonary embolism

Answer: (A)

An S3 sounds just after S2 during rapid filling of a ventricle. It reflects increased volume and higher filling pressures in a ventricle that is dilated or stiffened, which is most characteristic of heart failure with systolic dysfunction. So, when this extra sound is heard, it points toward heart failure as the typical underlying condition. It isn’t a classic finding for acute myocardial infarction, aortic stenosis, or pulmonary embolism, which present with other signs and clues such as chest pain, specific murmurs, or different hemodynamic changes.

An S3 sounds just after S2 during rapid filling of a ventricle. It reflects increased volume and higher filling pressures in a ventricle that is dilated or stiffened, which is most characteristic of heart failure with systolic dysfunction. So, when this extra sound is heard, it points toward heart failure as the typical underlying condition. It isn’t a classic finding for acute myocardial infarction, aortic stenosis, or pulmonary embolism, which present with other signs and clues such as chest pain, specific murmurs, or different hemodynamic changes.