Which heart condition is characterized by a systolic ejection murmur that is crescendo-decrescendo?

A systolic ejection murmur that has a crescendo-decrescendo pattern is classically associated with aortic valve stenosis. In this condition, the left ventricular outflow tract is obstructed due to narrowing at the level of the aortic valve, typically involving calcified or thickened leaflets. As the ventricle contracts during systole, blood flows through the narrowed valve, creating turbulence. The sound is characterized by its gradual increase in intensity (crescendo) followed by a decrease (decrescendo) as the blood flow accelerates and then decelerates.

Aortic stenosis is often associated with certain clinical findings, including a weak or delayed carotid pulse and a potentially loud second heart sound due to the decreased mobility of the aortic valve. Over time, the increased pressure load on the left ventricle can lead to hypertrophy, further complicating the hemodynamics and the clinical picture.

While other heart conditions may produce murmurs, they do not produce the classic crescendo-decrescendo pattern associated with aortic valve stenosis. For example, mitral valve prolapse typically features a mid-systolic click and may have a regurgitant murmur, but it lacks the same pattern. Tricuspid reg