Fourth Heart Sound Plus First Heart Sound

Certain heart sound configurations mimic a split first heart sound. One of these conditions is a fourth sound gallop (S4) plus a first heart sound (S1). Since the S4 occurs just before the S1, it is easy to confuse a S4/S1 with a split S1. An S4 is lower frequency than an S1. To differentiate between a S4/S1 and a split S1, listen carefully to the frequency of the initial sound of the pair. If it is lower in frequency than the second sound, it is an S4. If the two sounds are the same, it is a split S1.

Fourth Heart Sound Plus First Heart Sound Audio

Fourth Heart Sound Plus First Heart Sound auscultation sound from lesson

Patient Sounds

Fourth Heart Sound Plus First Heart Sound patient recording

Half Speed Patient Sounds

Fourth Heart Sound Plus First Heart Sound half speed

Technique

The patient's position should be supine.

Auscultation Tips

Diastole:S4 present - a low-pitched sound

Sound Wave

Observe Cardiac Animation

Authors and Sources

Authors and Reviewers

ECG heart rhythm modules: Thomas O'Brien.
ECG monitor simulation developer: Steve Collmann
12 Lead Course: Dr. Michael Mazzini, MD.
Spanish language ECG: Breena R. Taira, MD, MPH
Medical review: Dr. Jonathan Keroes, MD
Medical review: Dr. Pedro Azevedo, MD, Cardiology
Last Update: 11/8/2021

Sources

Electrocardiography for Healthcare Professionals, 6th Edition Kathryn Booth and Thomas O'Brien
ISBN10: 1265013470, ISBN13: 9781265013479
McGraw Hill, 2023
Rapid Interpretation of EKG's, Sixth Edition
Dale Dublin
Cover Publishing Company
EKG Reference Guide
EKG.Academy
12 Lead EKG for Nurses: Simple Steps to Interpret Rhythms, Arrhythmias, Blocks, Hypertrophy, Infarcts, & Cardiac Drugs
Aaron Reed
Create Space Independent Publishing
Heart Sounds and Murmurs: A Practical Guide with Audio CD-ROM 3rd Edition
Elsevier-Health Sciences Division
Barbara A. Erickson, PhD, RN, CCRN
The Virtual Cardiac Patient: A Multimedia Guide to Heart Sounds, Murmurs, EKG Jonathan Keroes, David Lieberman
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkin)
ISBN-10: 0781784425; ISBN-13: 978-0781784429
Project Semilla, UCLA Emergency Medicine, EKG Training Breena R. Taira, MD, MPH
ECG Reference Guide
PracticalClinicalSkills.com

Return to Reference Guide Index Page

Fourth Heart Sound Plus First Heart Sound | #42