From the Guidelines
The medical term for hearing heart sounds in the carotid area is "carotid bruits." This phenomenon occurs when turbulent blood flow in the carotid arteries creates audible sounds that can be detected during auscultation with a stethoscope. Carotid bruits are particularly significant as they may indicate carotid artery stenosis, which is a narrowing of these major blood vessels that supply the brain. The turbulence occurs when blood flows through a narrowed section of the artery, creating vibrations that produce the audible sound. These sounds are different from normal heart sounds that may transmit to the neck area. When detected, carotid bruits warrant further investigation with imaging studies such as carotid ultrasound, CT angiography, or MR angiography to determine the degree of stenosis, as recommended by the most recent guidelines 1. This finding is clinically important because significant carotid stenosis increases the risk of stroke, and early detection may allow for preventive interventions such as antiplatelet therapy, statins, or in severe cases, surgical interventions like carotid endarterectomy or stenting. Some key points to consider in the evaluation of carotid bruits include:
- The use of duplex carotid Doppler as a very accurate and useful screening test in the evaluation of the extracranial vasculature for carotid stenosis in the asymptomatic patient with a carotid bruit 1.
- The importance of further anatomic imaging to characterize stenosis and exclude confounding multivessel disease in cases of clinically significant carotid disease.
- The potential for Doppler to overestimate the degree of stenosis in the setting of contralateral disease or multivessel disease or underestimate the stenosis in the setting of critical high-grade stenosis 1. In clinical practice, the detection of carotid bruits should prompt a thorough evaluation to determine the underlying cause and to guide appropriate management, with the goal of reducing the risk of stroke and improving patient outcomes.
From the Research
Medical Term for Hearing Heart Sounds on Carotid Area
The medical term for hearing heart sounds on the carotid area is not directly addressed in the provided studies. However, the studies discuss various methods for diagnosing carotid stenosis, including:
- Duplex Doppler scanning and spectral bruit analysis 2
- Color Doppler sonography and CT angiography 3, 4
- Digital subtraction angiography 5
- Multiparametric ultrasound, CT angiography, and MRI angiography 6
Diagnostic Methods for Carotid Stenosis
The studies highlight the importance of accurate diagnosis of carotid stenosis, including:
- Noninvasive methods such as duplex Doppler scanning, color Doppler sonography, and CT angiography 2, 3, 4
- Invasive methods such as digital subtraction angiography 5
- Emerging technologies such as multiparametric ultrasound and MRI angiography 6
Key Findings
Some key findings from the studies include:
- The combination of duplex Doppler scanning and spectral bruit analysis can accurately diagnose carotid stenosis 2
- Color Doppler sonography and CT angiography can provide accurate and cost-effective diagnosis of carotid stenosis 3, 4
- Digital subtraction angiography can be used to confirm the degree of stenosis in certain patients before definitive surgical treatment 5
- Emerging technologies such as multiparametric ultrasound and MRI angiography may improve diagnostic accuracy 6