Of Heart Murmurs and iPods

In a move sure to end up on House, a cardiologist from Temple University has shown that listening to heart sounds on an iPod significantly improves a person’s ability to diagnose abnormal heart sounds. During a single 90-minute session, 149 general internists listened 400 times to five common heart murmurs including aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, […]

DpodIn a move sure to end up on House, a cardiologist from Temple University has shown that listening to heart sounds on an iPod significantly improves a person's ability to diagnose abnormal heart sounds.

During a single 90-minute session, 149 general internists listened 400 times to five common heart murmurs including aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, mitral stenosis, mitral regurgitation and innocent systolic murmur. Previous studies have found the average rate of correct heart sound identification in physicians is 40 percent. After the session, the average improved to 80 percent.

Today and tomorrow, lead investigator Mike Barrett will be testing the technique with cardiologists at the American College of Cardiology meeting in New Orleans.

You can try it out, too. Listen to the differences between a normal heartbeat and a murmur, then learn what causes murmurs.

iPod not required.

[Insert witty Zune joke.]

iPods Help Docs Improve Stethoscope Skills [EurekAlert]