Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

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How does a bruit differ from a murmur?

  1. A bruit is created by heart valves

  2. A bruit is auscultated over a main blood vessel

  3. A bruit is inaudible

  4. A bruit occurs in the lungs

The correct answer is: A bruit is auscultated over a main blood vessel

A bruit is characterized as a sound that is typically auscultated over a main blood vessel. It is the result of turbulent blood flow, often due to narrowing or obstruction of the blood vessel. This turbulence can be caused by conditions like atherosclerosis. The sound of a bruit can often be heard with a stethoscope over arteries such as the carotid or femoral. In contrast to a bruit, a murmur is specifically associated with heart valves, representing turbulent blood flow occurring within the heart due to valve dysfunction or congenital heart defects. Murmurs are generally heard over specific areas of the chest, aligned with the location of the heart valves. Therefore, the distinction lies primarily in the locations and causes of the sounds, with bruits being associated specifically with blood vessels and murmurs with heart valves.