Gallop rhythm
Encyclopedia
A gallop rhythm refers to a (usually abnormal) rhythm of the heart on auscultation
. It includes three or four sounds, thus resembling the sounds of a gallop.
The normal heart rhythm contains two audible heart sounds
called S1 and S2 that give the well-known "lub-dub" rhythm; they are caused by the closing of valves
in the heart.
A gallop rhythm contains another sound, called S3
or S4
, dependent upon where in the cycle this added sound comes.
It can also contain both of these sounds forming a quadruple gallop, and in situations of very fast heart rate
can produce a summation gallop where S3 and S4 occur so close as to be indistinguishable.
Auscultation
Auscultation is the term for listening to the internal sounds of the body, usually using a stethoscope...
. It includes three or four sounds, thus resembling the sounds of a gallop.
The normal heart rhythm contains two audible heart sounds
Heart sounds
Heart sounds, or heartbeats, are the noises generated by the beating heart and the resultant flow of blood through it...
called S1 and S2 that give the well-known "lub-dub" rhythm; they are caused by the closing of valves
Heart valve
A heart valve normally allows blood flow in only one direction through the heart. The four valves commonly represented in a mammalian heart determine the pathway of blood flow through the heart...
in the heart.
A gallop rhythm contains another sound, called S3
Third heart sound
The third heart sound or S3 is a rare extra heart sound that occurs soon after the normal two "lub-dub" heart sounds .-Physiology:It occurs at the beginning of diastole approximately 0.12 to 0.18 seconds after S2...
or S4
Fourth heart sound
The fourth heart sound or S4 is a rare extra heart sound that occurs immediately before the normal two "lub-dub" heart sounds . It occurs just after atrial contraction and immediately before the systolic S1...
, dependent upon where in the cycle this added sound comes.
It can also contain both of these sounds forming a quadruple gallop, and in situations of very fast heart rate
Tachycardia
Tachycardia comes from the Greek words tachys and kardia . Tachycardia typically refers to a heart rate that exceeds the normal range for a resting heart rate...
can produce a summation gallop where S3 and S4 occur so close as to be indistinguishable.
Associated conditions
Gallop rhythms may be heard in young or athletic or Asian people, but may also be a sign of serious cardiac problems like heart failure as well as pulmonary oedema.External links
- chfpatients.com - suitable for non-medical people, but requires some knowledge of medical terms
- familypractice.com - requires knowledge of medical terms