The Importance of a High-Pitched Squeaking Systolic Murmur in the Diagnosis of Aortic Stenosis and Calcification of the Aortic Valve

THE primary purpose of this report is to emphasize the relation of a high-pitched "squeaking" or "musical" systolic murmur to aortic stenosis and calcification of the aortic valve. This is not so widely appreciated as it should be, for we have found that a high-pitched musical systolic murmur is more often attributed to obscure causes than to aortic valvular disease. Some writers1 , 2 even suggest that musical murmurs are not significant.It is rather surprising that this frequent and almost specific tonal quality of the murmur of aortic stenosis receives little emphasis in clinical teaching. No mention of it is found . . .