What type of murmur is associated with mitral regurgitation?

Mitral regurgitation is characterized by a holosystolic (or pansystolic) murmur due to the backward flow of blood from the left ventricle into the left atrium during ventricular contraction (systole). This type of murmur begins with the first heart sound (S1) and continues throughout systole, often reaching its peak intensity just before the second heart sound (S2).

The physical mechanism underlying this murmur involves the turbulence created by the regurgitant flow through the mitral valve, which is not properly closing. As a result, the sound generated is continuous during systole rather than just at a specific part of the cardiac cycle. The hallmark of a holosystolic murmur is its sustained quality, making it easily recognizable in a clinical examination.

In contrast, diastolic murmurs occur when blood flows across open heart valves during diastole, such as mitral stenosis or aortic regurgitation. Systolic murmurs can include various types such as ejection murmurs or late systolic murmurs which are not continuous throughout the entire systolic phase. A prolonged systolic murmur may refer to the presence of an abnormal heart condition but does not specifically describe the classic