The auscultation of a triphasic friction rub in a patient with acute chest pain should lead you to suspect:
A) congestive heart failure.
B) pericarditis.
C) endocarditis.
D) cardiac tamponade.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Chest pain is the usual initial symptom in acute pericarditis, which is the inflammation of the pericardium. The key physical finding is the triphasic friction rub, which is comprised of ventricular systole, early diastolic ventricular filling, and late diastolic atrial systole. It is heard just to the left of the sternum in the third and fourth intercostal spaces and is characteristically scratchy. The auscultation of a triphasic friction rub in a patient with acute chest pain should not lead you to suspect congestive heart failure, endocarditis, or cardiac tamponade.

The Auscultation of a Triphasic Friction Rub in a Patient