Bruit

Bruit (ph. |b|r|uː|ee) (Fr. noise) , or "vascular murmur", is the abnormal sound generated by turbulent flow of blood in an artery due to either an area of partial obstruction; or a localized high rate of blood flow through an unobstructed artery. The bruit may be heard ("auscultated") by pressing a stethoscope to the skin over the turbulent flow and listening. Most bruits occur only in systole, so the bruit is intermittent and its frequency dependent on the heart rate. Anything increasing the blood flow velocity such as fever, anemia, or hyperthyroidism, can increase the amplitude of the bruit.

Associated terms

Describing location of a partial obstruction

• Peripheral vascular disease; femoral artery stenosis
• Renal artery stenosis
• Stroke, carotid artery stenosis
• Aortic aneurysm
• Tinnitus - a symptom which may be caused by a cranial artery bruit
• Arteriovenous malformation
• Coarctation of the aorta
• Hepatocellular carcinoma
• Alcoholic hepatitis

Describing the mechanism of a partial obstruction

• Atherosclerosis (atheroma or plaque) (cholesterol deposition in artery wall)
• Median arcuate ligament syndrome, celiac artery stenosis - external compression

Describing location of localized high blood flow

• Arteriovenous (AV) fistula - pathologic or surgically created
• Graves disease, goiter
• Pagets disease

Unclassified

• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Giant cell arteritis
• Fibromuscular dysplasia

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

See also

• Carotid bruit

External links

• American Heart Organization