MEDIC! Heart tones in the Field

[medic0084]

My department has been focusing a great deal on the assesment of heart tones in the field.  We spend a great deal of time listening of recordings of "normal" tones, S1/S2, Split tones, gallops and murmurs.  But what does one do with this information?  I understand that these abnormal tomes are suggestive of disease.  But again, with 12 leads and limited medications, what is the medic to do?

[bobad]

I read somewhere that researchers were experimenting with computers converting heart activity to "music".  Because of people's inherent ability to recognize music and sound patterns, finding complex and subtle heart rhythms could be made much easier. Theoretically, even a green medical student or patient could be taught to instantly recognize and diagnose complex patterns that may  normally take an experienced electrophysiologist to recognize. The Devil is in the details. To make it practical, those 12 leads will have to be replaced with a more practical way of detecting the signals. I'm thinking some day you just slip on a special shirt that automatically finds and reads the 12 spots.

Not quite on topic I know, but I thought it interesting.

[maggiemag]

What a good idea!  When I first got out of nursing school, I went over to the med school and listened to tapes of abnormal heart sounds.  It can be fascinating.  For you, it would be possible to detect a blatant loud murmur or an S3 or 4 gallop murmur, for instance, transmit this info to the receiving hospital,and they could zero in quicker on the immediate problem, and thus start treatment and necessary labwork sooner.  For instance, if you would hear a gallop, they would know right away to order a chest x-ray and a BNP blood test.  I don't know if your training would result in actual treatment at the scene, but quicker diagnosis and better outcomes upon arrival.  Hope this helps!