Second Heart Sound and Late Systolic Click

Certain heart sound configurations mimic a split second heart sound. One of these conditions is a late systolic click plus a single second heart sound (S2). Since the late systolic click occurs just before the S2, it is easy to confuse the two with a split S2. Listen carefully to the two sounds. If the first of the pair is of higher frequency and shorter duration than the second, it is a late systolic click followed by a single second heart sound. Another way of distinguishing a late systolic click from a split S2 is to move the stethoscope head to the pulmonic area. The late systolic click will disappear, and you will only hear the single S2. A late systolic click is caused by degeneration of the mitral valve leaflets. This degeneration causes the closing of the leaflets to make a "clicking" sound during late systole. On the anatomy video you will see prolapse of the anterior lateral mitral valve leaflet which is the cause of the late systolic click.

Second Heart Sound and Late Systolic Click Audio

Second Heart Sound and Late Systolic Click auscultation sound from lesson

Patient Sounds

Second Heart Sound and Late Systolic Click patient recording

Half Speed Patient Sounds

Second Heart Sound and Late Systolic Click half speed

Technique

The patient's position should be supine.

Auscultation Tips

Systole:higher-pitched click late in systole with short duration

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

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