Which type of heart murmur is associated with aortic stenosis?

Aortic stenosis is characterized by an obstruction to blood flow from the left ventricle into the aorta during systole due to the narrowing of the aortic valve. This condition typically produces a systolic ejection murmur, which occurs as blood is ejected from the left ventricle through the narrowed aortic valve.

The murmur is often described as a "crescendo-decrescendo" pattern, meaning it begins softly, increases in intensity, and then decreases before ending. This type of sound is distinct for aortic stenosis and occurs between the first heart sound (S1) and the second heart sound (S2).

Understanding the timing and nature of the murmur is critical. In the case of diastolic murmurs, they occur when the heart is filling with blood, which does not apply here as aortic stenosis is primarily associated with the ejection phase. Continuous murmurs would indicate a condition where blood flows continuously due to a shunt or collateral circulation, while holosystolic murmurs typically suggest regurgitation through the valves. Given these characteristics, the systolic ejection murmur is the hallmark sound associated with aortic stenosis.