Which heart condition would likely present with diastolic heart murmurs and head bobbing?

Prepare for USMLE Step 1 Pathology Exam with comprehensive quizzes, flashcards, and detailed explanations. Enhance your understanding and be exam-ready!

Aortic regurgitation is characterized by diastolic heart murmurs due to the backflow of blood from the aorta into the left ventricle during diastole. This condition occurs when the aortic valve does not close properly, leading to increased stroke volume and a compensatory volume overload on the left ventricle.

One of the physical findings associated with significant aortic regurgitation is a wide pulse pressure, which can cause a characteristic head bobbing due to the rapid rise and fall of the blood pressure being transmitted to the head. This phenomenon is known as De Musset's sign. The murmur itself is best heard along the left sternal border and has a soft, blowing quality that occurs early in diastole.

The other conditions, while they may present with notable murmurs, do not typically present with both diastolic murmurs and the unique phenomenon of head bobbing. Aortic stenosis usually leads to a systolic ejection murmur and does not cause the same hemodynamic changes. Mitral valve prolapse primarily results in mid-systolic clicks and does not feature diastolic murmurs. Tricuspid regurgitation often produces a holosystolic murmur and does not lead

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