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Welcome to the UNC Heart sounds website. These are real heart sounds recorded from 1969-1975 at UNC Chapel Hill. For more information about the site, and to browse the complete index of sounds, click here.
Below is a selection of some interesting and better quality sounds. Flash and javascript required. Headphones or high quality speakers are highly recommended!
An accompanying slide presentation is available here (no animations - 6 MB PDF).
Jump to a section: Second heart sound, Vibratory murmur, Systolic click, Diastolic filling sound, Pulmonary stenosis, Tetralogy of Fallot; RV outflow obstruction, Mitral stenosis, Mitral regurgitation, Aortic insufficiency, Ventricular septal defect, Strange sounds, Localization
The first and second heart sounds are labeled "1" and "2"; normal splitting of the second heart sound is labeled "SP." There is high pitched artifact in this recording (Example #1), but the second heart sound variation is still evident.
In this recording (example #3), there is a suggestion of splitting in some of the sounds labeled "2."
The first and second heart sounds are labeled "1" and "2"; the vibratory murmur is labeled "M."
Occasional (normal) splitting of the second sound is labebeled "SP."
This murmur is more difficult to hear, in part due to the patient's tachycardia.
Here, physiologic splitting of the second heart sound, and background respiratory sounds, are also present.
The second heart sound is frequently split in this recording.
The innocent murmur (M) is softer than the other samples.
This patient has an additional sound, a systolic click, at or near the onset of the systolic murmur. The murmur makes the click difficult to hear with all cycles.
Additional example.
This patient has an additional diastolic sound, or S3, following the second heart sound. Typically, this sound is best heard over the cardiac apex.
This is a systolic ejection murmur of pulmonary stenosis; a systolic click is often present, but is not prominent in this recording. The murmur has more variable pitch than the murmur of a VSD.
This is a systolic ejection murmur of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction in tetralogy of Fallot. Note the occasional respiratory arrhythmia associated with the child’s breathing "B".
This patient with rheumatic heart disease has a diastolic sound "D" of mitral stenosis, which is heard best over the apex. There is a louder systolic murmur "S" which is not commented on, but in this situation is most likely mitral regurgitation.
This is a holosystolic murmur of mitral stenosis, heard in a patient with a history of rheumatic fever.
The aortic insufficiency murmur is a diastolic (following the second heart sound) decrescendo murmur. This patient also has a softer systolic ejection murmur, possibly mild aortic stenosis. Cause: rheumatic heart disease.
Here, there is both a systolic ejection murmur of aortic stenosis "S" and a diastolic decrescendo murmur of aortic insufficiency "D".
This is a harsh holosystolic murmur of a ventricular septal defect.
A "honking" sound of a patent ductus arteriosus.
"Everted mitral valve cusps."
Diastolic filling sounds are best heard at the cardiac apex.
Aortic insufficiency murmur best heard at the RUSB; there is an additional S3 at the apex!
Aortic stenosis murmur best heard at the RUSB.
Pulmonary stenosis: murmur best heard at the LUSB.
Rheumatic heart disease: early diastolic murmur of AI at LUSB.
Ventricular septal defect: best heard at LLSB with radiation to apex, but less intensity at LUSB.