What characteristic murmur is indicative of aortic regurgitation?

Aortic regurgitation is characterized by an early diastolic to holodiastolic murmur. This type of murmur occurs as a result of blood flowing back from the aorta into the left ventricle during diastole due to the incompetence of the aortic valve. The murmur is best heard along the left sternal border and tends to be high-pitched and decrescendo in quality, peaking early in diastole and extending throughout the diastolic phase.

This finding is significant because it reflects the hemodynamic changes that occur as the heart works to maintain adequate forward flow despite the regurgitant volume. Over time, this can lead to left ventricular volume overload, and its clinical significance can be profound, often culminating in heart failure if left untreated.

Other choices, while associated with different cardiac conditions, do not represent the murmur characteristic of aortic regurgitation. An early systolic murmur typically suggests conditions like aortic stenosis or a physiologic flow murmur. Late systolic murmurs are often indicative of mitral valve prolapse or mitral regurgitation. Continuous murmurs, which are heard throughout the cardiac cycle, are usually associated with conditions like patent ductus arterios