Cardiac Examination and Signs

Aortic, Pulmonary, Tricuspid, Mitral

A mnemonic for the four cardiac auscultation areas in order.

Fifth intercostal space in the mid-clavicular line

A memory aid for where the apex beat is normally felt.

Hypotension, raised jugular venous pressure, muffled heart sounds

A mnemonic for the three signs of cardiac tamponade.

Right border is right atrium; left border is aortic knuckle, pulmonary trunk, left atrial appendage and left ventricle

A memory aid for which chambers form the cardiac silhouette on a chest radiograph.

Maximum cardiac width divided by maximum thoracic width, normally less than 0.5

A memory aid for measuring heart size on a chest radiograph.

Hands, pulse, face, neck, praecordium, then back and legs

A memory aid for the order of a cardiovascular examination.

a, c and v waves with x and y descents

A memory aid for the waves and descents of the jugular venous pulse.

Phase 1 gives systolic pressure and phase 5 gives diastolic

A memory aid for the five phases of the Korotkoff sounds.

Janeway lesions, Osler nodes, Roth spots, splinter haemorrhages and clubbing

A mnemonic for the peripheral stigmata of endocarditis.

Slow rising in aortic stenosis, collapsing in aortic regurgitation

A memory aid for the abnormal arterial pulse waveforms.