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InternalMed_Harrison. The obstructive form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is associated with a mid-systolic murmur that is usually loudest along the left sternal border or between the left lower sternal border and the apex (Chap. 287, Fig. 51e-2). The murmur is produced by both dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction and MR, and thus, its configuration is a hybrid between ejection and regurgitant phenomena. The intensity of the murmur may vary from beat to beat and after provocative maneuvers but usually does not exceed grade 3. The murmur classically will increase in intensity with maneuvers that result 51e-3 in increasing degrees of outflow tract obstruction, such as a reduction in preload or afterload (Valsalva, standing, vasodilators), or with an augmentation of contractility (inotropic stimulation). Maneuvers that increase preload (squatting, passive leg raising, volume administration) or afterload (squatting, vasopressors) or that reduce contractility (β-adrenoreceptor blockers)


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InternalMed_Harrison. stimulation). Maneuvers that increase preload (squatting, passive leg raising, volume administration) or afterload (squatting, vasopressors) or that reduce contractility (β-adrenoreceptor blockers) decrease the intensity of the murmur. In rare patients, there may be reversed splitting of S2. A sustained left ventricular apical impulse and an S4 may be appreciated. In contrast to AS, the carotid upstroke is rapid and of normal volume. Rarely, it is bisferiens or bifid in contour (see Fig. 267-2D) due to mid-systolic closure of the aortic valve. LVH is present on the ECG, and the diagnosis is confirmed by TTE. Although the systolic murmur associated with MVP behaves similarly to that due to HOCM in response to the Valsalva maneuver and to standing/squatting (Fig. 51e-3), these two lesions can be distinguished on the basis of their associated findings, such as the presence of LVH in HOCM or a nonejection click in MVP.


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InternalMed_Harrison. The mid-systolic, crescendo-decrescendo murmur of congenital pulmonic stenosis (PS, Chap. 282) is best appreciated in the second and third left intercostal spaces (pulmonic area) (Figs. 51e-2 and 51e-4). The duration of the murmur lengthens and the intensity of P2 diminishes with increasing degrees of valvular stenosis (Fig. 51e1D). An early ejection sound, the intensity of which decreases with inspiration, is heard in younger patients. A parasternal lift and ECG evidence of right ventricular hypertrophy indicate severe pressure overload. If obtained, the chest x-ray may show poststenotic dilation of the main pulmonary artery. TTE is recommended for complete characterization. Significant left-to-right intracardiac shunting due to an ASD (Chap. 282) leads to an increase in pulmonary blood flow and a grade 2–3 mid-systolic murmur at the middle to upper left sternal border CHAPTER 51e Approach to the Patient with a Heart Murmur


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InternalMed_Harrison. CHAPTER 51e Approach to the Patient with a Heart Murmur FIguRe 51e-3 A mid-systolic nonejection sound (C) occurs in mitral valve prolapse and is followed by a late systolic murmur that crescendos to the second heart sound (S2). Standing decreases venous return; the heart becomes smaller; C moves closer to the first heart sound (S1), and the mitral regurgitant murmur has an earlier onset. With prompt squatting, venous return and afterload increase; the heart becomes larger; C moves toward S2; and the duration of the murmur shortens. (From JA Shaver, JJ Leonard, DF Leon: Examination of the Heart, Part IV, Auscultation of the Heart. Dallas, American Heart Association, 1990, p 13. Copyright, American Heart Association.) 51e-4 Pulmonic stenosis Tetralogy of Fallot P.Ej S1 S2S1 S2 PART 2 Cardinal Manifestations and Presentation of Diseases P.Ej A2 P2 A.Ej A2P.Ej P.Ej = Pulmonary ejection (valvular) A.Ej = Aortic ejection (root)


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InternalMed_Harrison. FIguRe 51e-4 Left. In valvular pulmonic stenosis with intact ventricular septum, right ventricular systolic ejection becomes progressively longer, with increasing obstruction to flow. As a result, the murmur becomes longer and louder, enveloping the aortic component of the second heart sound (A2). The pulmonic component (P2) occurs later, and splitting becomes wider but more difficult to hear because A2 is lost in the murmur and P2 becomes progressively fainter and lower pitched. As the pulmonic gradient increases, the isometric contraction phase shortens until the pulmonic valve ejection sound fuses with the first heart sound (S1). In severe pulmonic stenosis with concentric hypertrophy and decreasing right ventricular compliance, a fourth heart sound appears. Right. In tetralogy of Fallot with increasing obstruction at the pulmonic infundibular area, an increasing amount of right ventricular blood is shunted across the silent ventricular septal defect and flow across the obstructed


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InternalMed_Harrison. with increasing obstruction at the pulmonic infundibular area, an increasing amount of right ventricular blood is shunted across the silent ventricular septal defect and flow across the obstructed outflow tract decreases. Therefore, with increasing obstruction the murmur becomes shorter, earlier, and fainter. P2 is absent in severe tetralogy of Fallot. A large aortic root receives almost all cardiac output from both ventricular chambers, and the aorta dilates and is accompanied by a root ejection sound that does not vary with respiration. (From JA Shaver, JJ Leonard, DF Leon: Examination of the Heart, Part IV, Auscultation of the Heart. Dallas, American Heart Association, 1990, p 45. Copyright, American Heart Association.) attributed to increased flow rates across the pulmonic valve with fixed splitting of S2. Ostium secundum ASDs are the most common cause of these shunts in adults. Features suggestive of a primum ASD include the coexistence of MR due to a cleft anterior mitral valve


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InternalMed_Harrison. fixed splitting of S2. Ostium secundum ASDs are the most common cause of these shunts in adults. Features suggestive of a primum ASD include the coexistence of MR due to a cleft anterior mitral valve leaflet and left axis deviation of the QRS complex on the ECG. With sinus venosus ASDs, the left-to-right shunt is usually not large enough to result in a systolic murmur, although the ECG may show abnormalities of sinus node function. A grade 2 or 3 mid-systolic murmur may also be heard best at the upper left sternal border in patients with idiopathic dilation of the pulmonary artery; a pulmonary ejection sound is also present in these patients. TTE is indicated to evaluate a grade 2 or 3 mid-systolic murmur when there are other signs of cardiac disease.


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InternalMed_Harrison. An isolated grade 1 or 2 mid-systolic murmur, heard in the absence of symptoms or signs of heart disease, is most often a benign finding for which no further evaluation, including TTE, is necessary. The most common example of a murmur of this type in an older adult patient is the crescendo-decrescendo murmur of aortic valve sclerosis, heard at the second right interspace (Fig. 51e-2). Aortic sclerosis is defined as focal thickening and calcification of the aortic valve to a degree that does not interfere with leaflet opening. The carotid upstrokes are normal, and electrocardiographic LVH is not present. A grade 1 or 2 mid-systolic murmur often can be heard at the left sternal border with pregnancy, hyperthyroidism, or anemia, physiologic states that are associated with accelerated blood flow. Still’s murmur refers to a benign grade 2, vibratory or musical mid-systolic murmur at the mid or lower left sternal border in normal children and adolescents, best heard in the supine position


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InternalMed_Harrison. flow. Still’s murmur refers to a benign grade 2, vibratory or musical mid-systolic murmur at the mid or lower left sternal border in normal children and adolescents, best heard in the supine position (Fig. 51e-2).


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InternalMed_Harrison. Late Systolic Murmurs A late systolic murmur that is best heard at the left ventricular apex is usually due to MVP (Chap. 283). Often, this murmur is introduced by one or more nonejection clicks. The radiation of the murmur can help identify the specific mitral leaflet involved in the process of prolapse or flail. The term flail refers to the movement made by an unsupported portion of the leaflet after loss of its chordal attachment(s). With posterior leaflet prolapse or flail, the resultant jet of MR is directed anteriorly and medially, as a result of which the murmur radiates to the base of the heart and masquerades as AS. Anterior leaflet prolapse or flail results in a posteriorly directed MR jet that radiates to the axilla or left infrascapular region. Leaflet flail is associated with a murmur of grade 3 or 4 intensity that can be heard throughout the precordium in thin-chested patients. The presence of an S3 or a short, rumbling mid-diastolic murmur due to enhanced flow signifies


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InternalMed_Harrison. a murmur of grade 3 or 4 intensity that can be heard throughout the precordium in thin-chested patients. The presence of an S3 or a short, rumbling mid-diastolic murmur due to enhanced flow signifies severe MR.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Bedside maneuvers that decrease left ventricular preload, such as standing, will cause the click and murmur of MVP to move closer to the first heart sound, as leaflet prolapse occurs earlier in systole. Standing also causes the murmur to become louder and longer. With squatting, left ventricular preload and afterload are increased abruptly, leading to an increase in left ventricular volume, and the click and murmur move away from the first heart sound as leaflet prolapse is delayed; the murmur becomes softer and shorter in duration (Fig. 51e–3). As noted above, these responses to standing and squatting are directionally similar to those observed in patients with HOCM.


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InternalMed_Harrison. A late, apical systolic murmur indicative of MR may be heard transiently in the setting of acute myocardial ischemia; it is due to apical tethering and malcoaptation of the leaflets in response to structural and functional changes of the ventricle and mitral annulus. The intensity of the murmur varies as a function of left ventricular afterload and will increase in the setting of hypertension. TTE is recommended for assessment of late systolic murmurs.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Holosystolic Murmurs (Figs. 51e-1B and 51e-5) Holosystolic murmurs begin with S1 and continue through systole to S2. They are usually indicative of chronic mitral or tricuspid valve regurgitation or a VSD and warrant TTE for further characterization. The holosystolic murmur of chronic MR is best heard at the left ventricular apex and radiates to the axilla (Fig. 51e-2); it is usually high-pitched and plateau in configuration because of the wide difference between left ventricular and left atrial pressure throughout systole. In contrast to acute MR, left atrial compliance is normal or even increased in chronic MR. As a result, there is only a small increase in left atrial pressure for any increase in regurgitant volume.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Several conditions are associated with chronic MR and an apical holosystolic murmur, including rheumatic scarring of the leaflets, mitral annular calcification, postinfarction left ventricular remodeling, and severe left ventricular chamber enlargement. The circumference of the mitral annulus increases as the left ventricle enlarges and leads to failure of leaflet coaptation with central MR in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (Chap. 287). The severity of the MR is worsened by any contribution from apical displacement of the papillary muscles and leaflet tethering (remodeling). Because the mitral annulus is contiguous with the left atrial endocardium, gradual enlargement of the left atrium from chronic MR will result in further stretching of the annulus and more MR; thus, “MR begets MR.” Chronic severe MR results in enlargement and leftward displacement of the left ventricular apex beat and, in some patients, a diastolic filling complex, as described previously.


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InternalMed_Harrison. The holosystolic murmur of chronic TR is generally softer than that of MR, is loudest at the left lower sternal border, and usually increases in intensity with inspiration (Carvallo’s sign). Associated signs include c-v waves in the jugular venous pulse, an enlarged and pulsatile liver, ascites, and peripheral edema. The abnormal jugular venous waveforms are the predominant finding and are seen very often in the HOLOSYSTOLIC MURMUR: DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS Maximum intensity over left sternal border Radiation to epigastrium and right sternal border Prominent c-v wave with sharp y descent in jugular venous pulse Maximum intensity over lower left third and fourth interspace Widespread radiation, palpable thrill Decreased intensity with amyl nitrate Wide splitting of S


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InternalMed_Harrison. Widespread radiation, palpable thrill Decreased intensity with amyl nitrate Wide splitting of S Hyperdynamic left ventricular impulse Wide splitting of S2 Sustained left ventricular impulse Single S2 or narrow splitting of S2 Prominent left parasternal diastolic impulse Normal brief left paraster-nal systolic impulse Normal P2 Rarely paradoxical S2 Sustained systolic left parasternal impulse Narrow splitting of S2 with marked increase in intensity of P2 Primary mitral regurgitation (e.g., rheumatic, ruptured chordae) Secondary mitral regurgitation (dilated cardiomyopathy; papillary muscle dysfunction, or late stage of primary mitral regurgitation) Primary Secondary to pulmonary hypertension Favors ventricular septal defect; often difficult to differentiate from mitral regurgitant murmur FIguRe 51e-5 Differential diagnosis of a holosystolic murmur.


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InternalMed_Harrison. FIguRe 51e-5 Differential diagnosis of a holosystolic murmur. absence of an audible murmur despite Doppler echocardiographic verification of TR. Causes of primary TR include myxomatous disease (prolapse), endocarditis, rheumatic disease, radiation, carcinoid, Ebstein’s anomaly, and chordal detachment as a complication of right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy. TR is more commonly a passive process that results secondarily from annular enlargement due to right ventricular dilatation in the face of volume or pressure overload.


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InternalMed_Harrison. The holosystolic murmur of a VSD is loudest at the midto lower left sternal border (Fig. 51e-2) and radiates widely. A thrill is present at the site of maximal intensity in the majority of patients. There is no change in the intensity of the murmur with inspiration. The intensity of the murmur varies as a function of the anatomic size of the defect. Small, restrictive VSDs, as exemplified by the maladie de Roger, create a very loud murmur due to the significant and sustained systolic pressure gradient between the left and right ventricles. With large defects, the ventricular pressures tend to equalize, shunt flow is balanced, and a murmur is not appreciated. The distinction between post-MI ventricular septal rupture and MR has been reviewed previously.


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InternalMed_Harrison. DIASTOLIC HeART MuRMuRS early Diastolic Murmurs (Fig. 51e-1E) Chronic AR results in a high-pitched, blowing, decrescendo, early to mid-diastolic murmur that begins after the aortic component of S2 (A2) and is best heard at the second right interspace (Fig. 51e-6). The murmur may be soft and difficult to hear unless auscultation is performed with the patient leaning forward at end expiration. This maneuver brings the aortic root closer to the anterior chest wall. Radiation of the murmur may provide a clue to the cause of the AR. With primary valve disease, such as that due to congenital bicuspid disease, prolapse, or endocarditis, the diastolic murmur tends to radiate along the left sternal border, where it is often louder than appreciated in the second right interspace. When AR is caused by aortic root disease, the diastolic murmur may radiate along the right sternal border. Diseases of the aortic root cause dilation or distortion of the aortic annulus and failure of leaflet


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InternalMed_Harrison. caused by aortic root disease, the diastolic murmur may radiate along the right sternal border. Diseases of the aortic root cause dilation or distortion of the aortic annulus and failure of leaflet coaptation. Causes include Marfan syndrome with aneurysm formation, annuloaortic ectasia, ankylosing spondylitis, and aortic dissection.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Chronic, severe AR also may produce a lower-pitched mid to late, grade 1 or 2 diastolic murmur at the apex (Austin Flint murmur), which is thought to reflect turbulence at the mitral inflow area from the admixture of regurgitant (aortic) and forward (mitral) blood flow (Fig. 51e-1G). This lower-pitched, apical diastolic murmur can be distinguished from that due to MS by the absence of an opening snap and the response of the murmur to a vasodilator challenge. Lowering after-load with an agent such as amyl nitrite will decrease the duration and magnitude of the aortic–left ventricular diastolic pressure gradient, and thus, the Austin Flint murmur of severe AR will become shorter and softer. The intensity of the diastolic murmur of mitral stenosis (Fig. 51e-6) may either remain constant or increase with afterload reduction because of the reflex increase in cardiac output and mitral valve flow.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Although AS and AR may coexist, a grade 2 or 3 crescendo-decrescendo mid-systolic murmur frequently is heard at the base of the heart in patients with isolated, severe AR and is due to an increased volume and rate of systolic flow. Accurate bedside identification of coexistent AS can be difficult unless the carotid pulse examination is abnormal or the mid-systolic murmur is of grade 4 or greater intensity. In the absence of heart failure, chronic severe AR is accompanied by several peripheral signs of significant diastolic run-off, including a wide pulse pressure, a “water-hammer” carotid upstroke (Corrigan’s pulse), and Quincke’s pulsations of the nail beds. The diastolic murmur of acute, severe AR is notably shorter in duration and lower pitched than the murmur of chronic AR. It can be very difficult to appreciate in the presence of a rapid heart rate. These attributes reflect the abrupt rate of rise of diastolic pressure within the unprepared and noncompliant left ventricle and the


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InternalMed_Harrison. difficult to appreciate in the presence of a rapid heart rate. These attributes reflect the abrupt rate of rise of diastolic pressure within the unprepared and noncompliant left ventricle and the correspondingly rapid decline in the aortic–left ventricular diastolic pressure gradient. Left ventricular diastolic pressure may increase sufficiently to result in premature closure of the mitral valve and a soft first heart sound. Peripheral signs of significant diastolic run-off are not present.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Pulmonic regurgitation (PR) results in a decrescendo, early to mid-diastolic murmur (Graham Steell murmur) that begins after the pulmonic component of S2 (P2), is best heard at the second left interspace, and radiates along the left sternal border. The intensity of the murmur may increase with inspiration. PR is most commonly due to dilation of the valve annulus from chronic elevation of the pulmonary artery pressure. Signs of pulmonary hypertension, including a right ventricular CHAPTER 51e Approach to the Patient with a Heart Murmur PART 2 Cardinal Manifestations and Presentation of Diseases O.S. O.S. FIguRe 51e-6 Diastolic filling murmur (rumble) in mitral stenosis.


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InternalMed_Harrison. In mild mitral stenosis, the diastolic gradient across the valve is limited to the phases of rapid ventricular filling in early diastole and presystole. The rumble may occur during either or both periods. As the stenotic process becomes severe, a large pressure gradient exists across the valve during the entire diastolic filling period, and the rumble persists throughout diastole. As the left atrial pressure becomes greater, the interval between A2 (or P2) and the opening snap (O.S.) shortens. In severe mitral stenosis, secondary pulmonary hypertension develops and results in a loud P2 and the splitting interval usually narrows. ECG, electrocardiogram. (From JA Shaver, JJ Leonard, DF Leon: Examination of the Heart, Part IV, Auscultation of the Heart. Dallas, American Heart Association, 1990, p 55. Copyright, American Heart Association.) lift and a loud, single or narrowly split S2, are present. These features also help distinguish PR from AR as the cause of a decrescendo diastolic


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InternalMed_Harrison. 1990, p 55. Copyright, American Heart Association.) lift and a loud, single or narrowly split S2, are present. These features also help distinguish PR from AR as the cause of a decrescendo diastolic murmur heard along the left sternal border. PR in the absence of pulmonary hypertension can occur with endocarditis or a congenitally deformed valve. It is usually present after repair of tetralogy of Fallot in childhood. When pulmonary hypertension is not present, the diastolic murmur is softer and lower pitched than the classic Graham Steell murmur, and the severity of the PR can be difficult to appreciate.


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InternalMed_Harrison. TTE is indicated for the further evaluation of a patient with an early to mid-diastolic murmur. Longitudinal assessment of the severity of the valve lesion and ventricular size and systolic function help guide a potential decision for surgical management. TTE also can provide anatomic information regarding the root and proximal ascending aorta, although computed tomographic or magnetic resonance angiography may be indicated for more precise characterization (Chap. 270e).


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InternalMed_Harrison. Mid-Diastolic Murmurs (Figs. 51e-1G and 51e-1H) Mid-diastolic murmurs result from obstruction and/or augmented flow at the level of the mitral or tricuspid valve. Rheumatic fever is the most common cause of MS (Fig. 51e-6). In younger patients with pliable valves, S1 is loud and the murmur begins after an opening snap, which is a high-pitched sound that occurs shortly after S2. The interval between the pulmonic component of the second heart sound (P2) and the opening snap is inversely related to the magnitude of the left atrial–left ventricular pressure gradient. The murmur of MS is low-pitched and thus is best heard with the bell of the stethoscope. It is loudest at the left ventricular apex and often is appreciated only when the patient is turned in the left lateral decubitus position. It is usually of grade 1 or 2 intensity but may be absent when the cardiac output is severely reduced despite significant obstruction. The intensity of the murmur increases during maneuvers that


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InternalMed_Harrison. It is usually of grade 1 or 2 intensity but may be absent when the cardiac output is severely reduced despite significant obstruction. The intensity of the murmur increases during maneuvers that increase cardiac output and mitral valve flow, such as exercise. The duration of the murmur reflects the length of time over which left atrial pressure exceeds left ventricular diastolic pressure. An increase in the intensity of the murmur just before S1, a phenomenon known as presystolic accentuation (Figs. 51e-1A and 51e-6), occurs in patients in sinus rhythm and is due to a late increase in transmitral flow with atrial contraction. Presystolic accentuation does not occur in patients with atrial fibrillation.


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InternalMed_Harrison. The mid-diastolic murmur associated with tricuspid stenosis is best heard at the lower left sternal border and increases in intensity with inspiration. A prolonged y descent may be visible in the jugular venous waveform. This murmur is very difficult to hear and often is obscured by left-sided acoustical events.


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InternalMed_Harrison. There are several other causes of mid-diastolic murmurs. Large left atrial myxomas may prolapse across the mitral valve and cause variable degrees of obstruction to left ventricular inflow (Chap. 289e). The murmur associated with an atrial myxoma may change in duration and intensity with changes in body position. An opening snap is not present, and there is no presystolic accentuation. Augmented mitral diastolic flow can occur with isolated severe MR or with a large left-to-right shunt at the ventricular or great vessel level and produce a soft, rapid filling sound (S3) followed by a short, low-pitched mid-diastolic apical murmur. The Austin Flint murmur of severe, chronic AR has already been described.


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InternalMed_Harrison. A short, mid-diastolic murmur is rarely heard during an episode of acute rheumatic fever (Carey-Coombs murmur) and probably is due to flow through an edematous mitral valve. An opening snap is not present in the acute phase, and the murmur dissipates with resolution of the acute attack. Complete heart block with dyssynchronous atrial and ventricular activation may be associated with intermittent midto late diastolic murmurs if atrial contraction occurs when the mitral valve is partially closed. Mid-diastolic murmurs indicative of increased tricuspid valve flow can occur with severe, isolated TR and with large ASDs and significant left-to-right shunting. Other signs of an ASD are present (Chap. 282), including fixed splitting of S2 and a mid-systolic murmur at the midto upper left sternal border. TTE is indicated for evaluation of a patient with a midto late diastolic murmur. Findings specific to the diseases discussed above will help guide management.


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InternalMed_Harrison. (Figs. 51e-1H and 51e-7) Continuous murmurs begin in systole, peak near the second heart sound, and continue into all or part of diastole. Their presence throughout the cardiac cycle implies a pressure gradient between two chambers or vessels during both systole and diastole. The continuous murmur associated with a patent ductus arteriosus is best heard at the upper left sternal border. Large, uncorrected shunts may lead to pulmonary hypertension, attenuation or obliteration of the diastolic component of the murmur, reversal of shunt flow, and differential cyanosis of the lower extremities. A ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm creates a continuous murmur of abrupt onset at the upper right sternal border. Rupture typically occurs into a right heart chamber, and the murmur is indicative of a continuous pressure difference between the aorta and either the right ventricle or the right atrium. A continuous murmur also may be audible along the left sternal border with a coronary


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InternalMed_Harrison. of a continuous pressure difference between the aorta and either the right ventricle or the right atrium. A continuous murmur also may be audible along the left sternal border with a coronary arteriovenous fistula and at the site of an arteriovenous fistula used for hemodialysis access. Enhanced flow through enlarged intercostal collateral arteries in patients with aortic coarctation may produce a continuous murmur along the course of one or more ribs. A cervical bruit with both systolic and diastolic components (a to-fro murmur, Fig. 51e-7) usually indicates a high-grade carotid artery stenosis.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Not all continuous murmurs are pathologic. A continuous venous hum can be heard in healthy children and young adults, especially during pregnancy; it is best appreciated in the right supraclavicular fossa and can be obliterated by pressure over the right internal jugular vein or by having the patient turn his or her head toward the examiner. The continuous mammary souffle of pregnancy is created by enhanced arterial flow through engorged breasts and usually appears during the late third trimester or early puerperium. The murmur is louder in systole. Firm pressure with the diaphragm of the stethoscope can eliminate the diastolic portion of the murmur. (Table 51e-2; see Table 267-1) Careful attention to the behavior of heart murmurs during simple maneuvers that alter cardiac hemodynamics can provide important clues to their cause and significance. Respiration Auscultation should be performed during quiet respiration or with a modest increase in inspiratory effort, as more forceful


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InternalMed_Harrison. Respiration Auscultation should be performed during quiet respiration or with a modest increase in inspiratory effort, as more forceful Continuous Murmur vs. To-Fro Murmur


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InternalMed_Harrison. FIguRe 51e-7 Comparison of the continuous murmur and the to-fro murmur. During abnormal communication between high-pressure and low-pressure systems, a large pressure gradient exists throughout the cardiac cycle, producing a continuous murmur. A classic example is patent ductus arteriosus. At times, this type of murmur can be confused with a to-fro murmur, which is a combination of systolic ejection murmur and a murmur of semilunar valve incompetence. A classic example of a to-fro murmur is aortic stenosis and regurgitation. A continuous murmur crescendos to near the second heart sound (S2), whereas a to-fro murmur has two components. The mid-systolic ejection component decrescendos and disappears as it approaches S2. (From JA Shaver, JJ Leonard, DF Leon: Examination of the Heart, Part IV, Auscultation of the Heart. Dallas, American Heart Association, 1990, p 55. Copyright, American Heart Association.) movement of the chest tends to obscure the heart sounds. Left-sided murmurs may be


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InternalMed_Harrison. Auscultation of the Heart. Dallas, American Heart Association, 1990, p 55. Copyright, American Heart Association.) movement of the chest tends to obscure the heart sounds. Left-sided murmurs may be best heard at end expiration, when lung volumes are minimized and the heart and great vessels are brought closer to the chest wall. This phenomenon is characteristic of the murmur of AR. Murmurs of right-sided origin, such as tricuspid or pulmonic regurgitation, increase in intensity during inspiration. The intensity of left-sided murmurs either remains constant or decreases with inspiration.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Bedside assessment also should evaluate the behavior of S2 with respiration and the dynamic relationship between the aortic and pulmonic components (Fig. 51e-8). Reversed splitting can be a feature of severe AS, HOCM, left bundle branch block, right ventricular pacing, or acute myocardial ischemia. Fixed splitting of S2 in the presence of a grade 2 or 3 mid-systolic murmur at the midor upper left sternal border indicates an ASD. Physiologic but wide splitting during the respiratory cycle implies either premature aortic valve closure, as can occur with severe MR, or delayed pulmonic valve closure due to PS or right bundle branch block.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Alterations of Systemic Vascular Resistance Murmurs can change characteristics after maneuvers that alter systemic vascular resistance and left ventricular afterload. The systolic murmurs of MR and VSD become louder during sustained handgrip, simultaneous inflation of blood pressure cuffs on both upper extremities to pressures 20–40 mmHg above systolic pressure for 20 s, or infusion of a vasopressor agent. The murmurs associated with AS or HOCM will become softer or remain unchanged with these maneuvers. The diastolic murmur of AR becomes louder in response to interventions that raise systemic vascular resistance. Opposite changes in systolic and diastolic murmurs may occur with the use of pharmacologic agents that lower systemic vascular resistance. DynAMiC AusCuLTATion: BEDsiDE MAnEuvERs THAT CAn BE usED To CHAngE THE inTEnsiTy of CARDiAC MuRMuRs (sEE TExT) 1. 2. 3. 4. Pharmacologic manipulation of preload and/or afterload 5. 6. 7. 8.


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InternalMed_Harrison. 6. 7. 8. FIguRe 51e-8 Top. Normal physiologic splitting. During expiration, the aortic (A2) and pulmonic (P2) components of the second heart sound are separated by <30 ms and are appreciated as a single sound. During inspiration, the splitting interval widens, and A2 and P2 are clearly separated into two distinct sounds. Bottom. Audible expiratory splitting. Wide physiologic splitting is caused by a delay in P2. Reversed splitting is caused by a delay in A2, resulting in paradoxical movement; i.e., with inspiration P2 moves toward A2, and the splitting interval narrows. Narrow physiologic splitting occurs in pulmonary hypertension, and both A2 and P2 are heard during expiration at a narrow splitting interval because of the increased intensity and high-frequency composition of P2. (From JA Shaver, JJ Leonard, DF Leon: Examination of the Heart, Part IV, Auscultation of the Heart. Dallas, American Heart Association, 1990, p 17. Copyright, American Heart Association.)


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InternalMed_Harrison. Inhaled amyl nitrite is now rarely used for this purpose but can help distinguish the murmur of AS or HOCM from that of either MR or VSD, if necessary. The former two murmurs increase in intensity, whereas the latter two become softer after exposure to amyl nitrite. As noted previously, the Austin Flint murmur of severe AR becomes softer, but the mid-diastolic rumble of MS becomes louder, in response to the abrupt lowering of systemic vascular resistance with amyl nitrite.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Changes in Venous Return The Valsalva maneuver results in an increase in intrathoracic pressure, followed by a decrease in venous return, ventricular filling, and cardiac output. The majority of murmurs decrease in intensity during the strain phase of the maneuver. Two notable exceptions are the murmurs associated with MVP and obstructive HOCM, both of which become louder during the Valsalva maneuver. The murmur of MVP may also become longer as leaflet prolapse occurs earlier in systole at smaller ventricular volumes. These murmurs behave in a similar and parallel fashion with standing. Both the click and the murmur of MVP move closer in timing to S1 on rapid standing from a squatting position (Fig. 51e-3). The increase in the intensity of the murmur of HOCM is predicated on the augmentation of the dynamic left ventricular outflow tract gradient that occurs with reduced ventricular filling. Squatting results in abrupt increases in both venous return (preload) and left ventricular


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InternalMed_Harrison. of the dynamic left ventricular outflow tract gradient that occurs with reduced ventricular filling. Squatting results in abrupt increases in both venous return (preload) and left ventricular afterload that increase ventricular volume, changes that predictably cause a decrease in the intensity and duration of the murmurs associated with MVP and HOCM; the click and murmur of MVP move away from S1 with squatting. Passive leg raising can be used to increase venous return in patients who are unable to squat and stand. This maneuver may lead to a decrease in the intensity of the murmur associated with HOCM but has less effect in patients with MVP.


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InternalMed_Harrison. CHAPTER 51e Approach to the Patient with a Heart Murmur 51e-8 Post-Premature Ventricular Contraction A change in the intensity of a pulmonic, and mitral valves. Such signals are not likely to generate systolic murmur in the first beat after a premature beat, or in the beat after a long cycle length in patients with atrial fibrillation, can help distinguish AS from MR, particularly in an older patient in whom the murmur of AS is well transmitted to the apex. Systolic murmurs due to left ventricular outflow obstruction, including that due to AS, increase in intensity in the beat after a premature beat because of the combined effects of enhanced left ventricular filling and post-extrasystolic potentiation of contractile function. Forward flow accelerates, causing an increase in the gradient and a louder murmur. The intensity of the murmur of MR does not change in the post-premature beat as there is relatively little further increase in mitral valve flow or change in the left


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InternalMed_Harrison. gradient and a louder murmur. The intensity of the murmur of MR does not change in the post-premature beat as there is relatively little further increase in mitral valve flow or change in the left ventricular–left atrial gradient.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Additional clues to the etiology and importance of a heart murmur can be gleaned from the history and other physical examination findings. Symptoms suggestive of cardiovascular, neurologic, or pulmonary disease help focus the differential diagnosis, as do findings relevant to the jugular venous pressure and waveforms, the arterial pulses, other heart sounds, the lungs, the abdomen, the skin, and the extremities. In many instances, laboratory studies, an ECG, and/or a chest x-ray may have been obtained earlier and may contain valuable information. A patient with suspected infective endocarditis, for example, may have a murmur in the setting of fever, chills, anorexia, fatigue, dyspnea, splenomegaly, petechiae, and positive blood cultures. A new systolic murmur in a patient with a marked fall in blood pressure after a recent MI suggests myocardial rupture. By contrast, an isolated grade 1 or 2 mid-systolic murmur at the left sternal border in a healthy, active, and asymptomatic young


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InternalMed_Harrison. fall in blood pressure after a recent MI suggests myocardial rupture. By contrast, an isolated grade 1 or 2 mid-systolic murmur at the left sternal border in a healthy, active, and asymptomatic young adult is most likely a benign finding for which no further evaluation is indicated. The context in which the murmur is appreciated often dictates the need for further testing.


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InternalMed_Harrison. (Fig. 51e–9; Chaps. 267 and 270e) Echocardiography with color flow and spectral Doppler is a valuable tool for the assessment of cardiac murmurs. Information regarding valve structure and function, chamber size, wall thickness, ventricular function, estimated pulmonary artery pressures, intracardiac shunt flow, pulmonary and hepatic vein flow, and aortic flow can be ascertained readily. It is important to note that Doppler signals of trace or mild valvular regurgitation of no clinical consequence can be detected with structurally normal tricuspid, PART 2 Cardinal Manifestations and Presentation of Diseases


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InternalMed_Harrison. PART 2 Cardinal Manifestations and Presentation of Diseases Cardiac murmur Systolic murmur Diastolic murmur Continuous murmur Mid-systolic, grade 2 or less • Early systolic • Mid-systolic, grade 3 or more • Late systolic • Holosystolic Asymptomatic and no associated findings Symptomatic or other signs of cardiac disease* TEE, cardiac MR, catheterization if appropriate • Venous hum • Mammary souffle TTE No further workup enough turbulence to create an audible murmur.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Echocardiography is indicated for the evaluation of patients with early, late, or holosystolic murmurs and patients with grade 3 or louder mid-systolic murmurs. Patients with grade 1 or 2 mid-systolic murmurs but other symptoms or signs of cardiovascular disease, including those from ECG or chest x-ray, should also undergo echocardiography. Echocardiography is also indicated for the evaluation of any patient with a diastolic murmur and for patients with continuous murmurs not due to a venous hum or mammary souffle. Echocardiography also should be considered when there is a clinical need to verify normal cardiac structure and function in a patient whose symptoms and signs are probably noncardiac in origin. The performance of serial echocardiography to follow the course of asymptomatic individuals with valvular heart disease is a central feature of their longitudinal assessment and provides valuable information that may have an impact on decisions regarding the timing of surgery.


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InternalMed_Harrison. individuals with valvular heart disease is a central feature of their longitudinal assessment and provides valuable information that may have an impact on decisions regarding the timing of surgery. Routine echocardiography is not recommended for asymptomatic patients with a grade 1 or 2 mid-systolic murmur without other signs of heart disease. For this category of patients, referral to a cardiovascular specialist should be considered if there is doubt about the significance of the murmur after the initial examination.


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InternalMed_Harrison. The selective use of echocardiography outlined above has not been subjected to rigorous analysis of its cost-effectiveness. For some clinicians, handheld or miniaturized cardiac ultrasound devices have replaced the stethoscope. Although several reports attest to the improved sensitivity of such devices for the detection of valvular heart disease, accuracy is highly operator-dependent, and incremental cost considerations and outcomes have not been addressed adequately. The use of electronic or digital stethoscopes with spectral display capabilities has also been proposed as a method to improve the characterization of heart murmurs and the mentored teaching of cardiac auscultation.


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InternalMed_Harrison. (Chap. 270e, Fig. 51e-9) In relatively few patients, clinical assessment and TTE do not adequately characterize the origin and significance of a heart murmur. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) can be considered for further evaluation, especially when the TTE windows are limited by body size, chest configuration, or intrathoracic pathology. TEE offers enhanced sensitivity for the detection of a wide range of structural cardiac disorders. Electrocardiographically gated cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging, although limited in its ability to display valvular morphology, can provide quantitative information regarding valvular function, stenosis severity, regurgitant fraction, regurgitant volume, shunt flow, chamber and great vessel size, ventricular function, and myocardial perfusion. CMR has largely supplanted the need for cardiac catheterization and invasive hemodynamic assessment when there is a discrepancy between the clinical and echocardiographic findings. Invasive coronary


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InternalMed_Harrison. CMR has largely supplanted the need for cardiac catheterization and invasive hemodynamic assessment when there is a discrepancy between the clinical and echocardiographic findings. Invasive coronary angiography is performed routinely in most adult patients before valve surgery, especially when there is a suspicion of coronary artery disease predicated on symptoms, risk factors, and/or age. The use of computed tomography coronary angiography (CCTA) to exclude coronary artery disease in patients with a low pretest probability of disease before valve surgery is gaining wider acceptance.


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InternalMed_Harrison. The accurate identification of a heart murmur begins with a systematic approach to cardiac auscultation. Characterization of its major attributes, FIguRe 51e-9 Strategy for evaluating heart murmurs. *If an electrocardiogram or as reviewed above, allows the examiner to construct chest x-ray has been obtained and is abnormal, echocardiography is indicated. TTE, a preliminary differential diagnosis, which is then transthoracic echocardiography; TEE, transesophageal echocardiography; MR, magnetic refined by integration of information available resonance. (Adapted from RO Bonow et al: J Am Coll Cardiol 32:1486, 1998.) from the history, associated cardiac findings, the CHAPTER 51e Approach to the Patient with a Heart Murmur


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InternalMed_Harrison. CHAPTER 51e Approach to the Patient with a Heart Murmur Palpitations Joseph Loscalzo Palpitations are extremely common among patients who present to their internists and can best be defined as an intermittent “thumping,” “pounding,” or “fluttering” sensation in the chest. This sensation can be either intermittent or sustained and either regular or irregular. Most 52254 patients interpret palpitations as an unusual awareness of the heartbeat and become especially concerned when they sense that they have had “skipped” or “missing” heartbeats. Palpitations are often noted when the patient is quietly resting, during which time other stimuli are minimal. Palpitations that are positional generally reflect a structural process within (e.g., atrial myxoma) or adjacent to (e.g., mediastinal mass) the heart.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Palpitations are brought about by cardiac (43%), psychiatric (31%), miscellaneous (10%), and unknown (16%) causes, according to one large series. Among the cardiovascular causes are premature atrial and ventricular contractions, supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, mitral valve prolapse (with or without associated arrhythmias), aortic insufficiency, atrial myxoma, and pulmonary embolism. Intermittent palpitations are commonly caused by premature atrial or ventricular contractions: the post-extrasystolic beat is sensed by the patient owing to the increase in ventricular end-diastolic dimension following the pause in the cardiac cycle and the increased strength of contraction (post-extrasystolic potentiation) of that beat. Regular, sustained palpitations can be caused by regular supraventricular and ventricular tachycardias. Irregular, sustained palpitations can be caused by atrial fibrillation. It is important to note that most arrhythmias are not associated with palpitations.


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InternalMed_Harrison. and ventricular tachycardias. Irregular, sustained palpitations can be caused by atrial fibrillation. It is important to note that most arrhythmias are not associated with palpitations. In those that are, it is often useful either to ask the patient to “tap out” the rhythm of the palpitations or to take his/her pulse during palpitations. In general, hyperdynamic cardiovascular states caused by catecholaminergic stimulation from exercise, stress, or pheochromocytoma can lead to palpitations. Palpitations are common among athletes, especially older endurance athletes. In addition, the enlarged ventricle of aortic regurgitation and accompanying hyperdynamic precordium frequently lead to the sensation of palpitations. Other factors that enhance the strength of myocardial contraction, including tobacco, caffeine, aminophylline, atropine, thyroxine, cocaine, and amphetamines, can cause palpitations.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Psychiatric causes of palpitations include panic attacks or disorders, anxiety states, and somatization, alone or in combination. Patients with psychiatric causes for palpitations more commonly report a longer duration of the sensation (>15 min) and other accompanying symptoms than do patients with other causes. Among the miscellaneous causes of palpitations are thyrotoxicosis, drugs (see above) and ethanol, spontaneous skeletal muscle contractions of the chest wall, pheochromocytoma, and systemic mastocytosis. APPROACH TO THE PATIENT:


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InternalMed_Harrison. APPROACH TO THE PATIENT: The principal goal in assessing patients with palpitations is to determine whether the symptom is caused by a life-threatening arrhythmia. Patients with preexisting coronary artery disease (CAD) or risk factors for CAD are at greatest risk for ventricular arrhythmias (Chap. 276) as a cause for palpitations. In addition, the association of palpitations with other symptoms suggesting hemodynamic compromise, including syncope or lightheadedness, supports this diagnosis. Palpitations caused by sustained tachyarrhythmias in patients with CAD can be accompanied by angina pectoris or dyspnea, and, in patients with ventricular dysfunction (systolic or diastolic), aortic stenosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or mitral stenosis (with or without CAD), can be accompanied by dyspnea from increased left atrial and pulmonary venous pressure.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Key features of the physical examination that will help confirm or refute the presence of an arrhythmia as a cause for palpitations (as well as its adverse hemodynamic consequences) include measurement of the vital signs, assessment of the jugular venous pressure and pulse, and auscultation of the chest and precordium. A resting electrocardiogram can be used to document the arrhythmia. If exertion is known to induce the arrhythmia and accompanying palpitations, exercise electrocardiography can be used to make the diagnosis. If the arrhythmia is sufficiently infrequent, other methods must be used, including continuous electrocardiographic (Holter) monitoring; telephonic monitoring, through which the patient can transmit an electrocardiographic tracing during a sensed episode; loop recordings (external or implantable), which can capture the electrocardiographic event for later review; and mobile cardiac outpatient telemetry. Data suggest that Holter monitoring is of limited clinical


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InternalMed_Harrison. (external or implantable), which can capture the electrocardiographic event for later review; and mobile cardiac outpatient telemetry. Data suggest that Holter monitoring is of limited clinical utility, while the implantable loop recorder and mobile cardiac outpatient telemetry are safe and possibly more cost-effective in the assessment of patients with (infrequent) recurrent, unexplained palpitations.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Most patients with palpitations do not have serious arrhythmias or underlying structural heart disease. If sufficiently troubling to the patient, occasional benign atrial or ventricular premature contractions can often be managed with beta-blocker therapy. Palpitations incited by alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs need to be managed by abstention, while those caused by pharmacologic agents should be addressed by considering alternative therapies when appropriate or possible. Psychiatric causes of palpitations may benefit from cognitive therapy or pharmacotherapy. The physician should note that palpitations are at the very least bothersome and, on occasion, frightening to the patient. Once serious causes for the symptom have been excluded, the patient should be reassured that the palpitations will not adversely affect prognosis. PART 2 Cardinal Manifestations and Presentation of Diseases Ikuo Hirano, Peter J. Kahrilas


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InternalMed_Harrison. Dysphagia—difficulty with swallowing—refers to problems with the transit of food or liquid from the mouth to the hypopharynx or through the esophagus. Severe dysphagia can compromise nutrition, cause aspiration, and reduce quality of life. Additional terminology pertaining to swallowing dysfunction is as follows. Aphagia (inability to swallow) typically denotes complete esophageal obstruction, most commonly encountered in the acute setting of a food bolus or foreign body impaction. Odynophagia refers to painful swallowing, typically resulting from mucosal ulceration within the oropharynx or esophagus. It commonly is accompanied by dysphagia, but the converse is not true. Globus pharyngeus is a foreign body sensation localized in the neck that does not interfere with swallowing and sometimes is relieved by swallowing. Transfer dysphagia frequently results in nasal regurgitation and pulmonary aspiration during swallowing and is characteristic of oropharyngeal dysphagia. Phagophobia


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InternalMed_Harrison. is relieved by swallowing. Transfer dysphagia frequently results in nasal regurgitation and pulmonary aspiration during swallowing and is characteristic of oropharyngeal dysphagia. Phagophobia (fear of swallowing) and refusal to swallow may be psychogenic or related to anticipatory anxiety about food bolus obstruction, odynophagia, or aspiration.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Swallowing begins with a voluntary (oral) phase that includes preparation during which food is masticated and mixed with saliva. This is followed by a transfer phase during which the bolus is pushed into the pharynx by the tongue. Bolus entry into the hypopharynx initiates the pharyngeal swallow response, which is centrally mediated and involves a complex series of actions, the net result of which is to propel food through the pharynx into the esophagus while preventing its entry into the airway. To accomplish this, the larynx is elevated and pulled forward, actions that also facilitate upper esophageal sphincter (UES) opening. Tongue pulsion then propels the bolus through the UES, followed by a peristaltic contraction that clears residue from the pharynx and through the esophagus. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxes as the food enters the esophagus and remains relaxed until the peristaltic contraction has delivered the bolus into the stomach. Peristaltic contractions


InternalMed_Harrison

InternalMed_Harrison. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxes as the food enters the esophagus and remains relaxed until the peristaltic contraction has delivered the bolus into the stomach. Peristaltic contractions elicited in response to a swallow are called primary peristalsis and involve sequenced inhibition followed by contraction of the musculature along the entire length of the esophagus. The inhibition that precedes the peristaltic contraction is called deglutitive inhibition. Local distention of the esophagus anywhere along its length, as may occur with gastroesophageal reflux, activates secondary peristalsis that begins at the point of distention and proceeds distally. Tertiary esophageal contractions are nonperistaltic, disordered esophageal contractions that may be observed to occur spontaneously during fluoroscopic observation.


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InternalMed_Harrison. The musculature of the oral cavity, pharynx, UES, and cervical esophagus is striated and directly innervated by lower motor neurons carried in cranial nerves (Fig. 53-1). Oral cavity muscles are innervated by the fifth (trigeminal) and seventh (facial) cranial nerves; the tongue, by the twelfth (hypoglossal) cranial nerve. Pharyngeal muscles are innervated by the ninth (glossopharyngeal) and tenth (vagus) cranial nerves.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Physiologically, the UES consists of the cricopharyngeus muscle, the adjacent inferior pharyngeal constrictor, and the proximal portion of the cervical esophagus. UES innervation is derived from the vagus nerve, whereas the innervation to the musculature acting on the UES to facilitate its opening during swallowing comes from the fifth, seventh, and twelfth cranial nerves. The UES remains closed at rest owing to both its inherent elastic properties and neurogenically mediated contraction of the cricopharyngeus muscle. UES opening during swallowing involves both cessation of vagal excitation to the cricopha-255 ryngeus and simultaneous contraction of the suprahyoid and geniohyoid muscles that pull open the UES in conjunction with the upward and forward displacement of the larynx.


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InternalMed_Harrison. The neuromuscular apparatus for peristalsis is distinct in proximal and distal parts of the esophagus. The cervical esophagus, like the pharyngeal musculature, consists of striated muscle and is directly innervated by lower motor neurons of the vagus nerve. Peristalsis in the proximal esophagus is governed by the sequential activation of the vagal motor neurons in the nucleus ambiguus. In contrast, the distal esophagus and LES are composed of smooth muscle and are controlled by excitatory and inhibitory neurons within the esophageal myenteric plexus. Medullary preganglionic neurons from the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus trigger peristalsis via these ganglionic neurons during primary peristalsis. Neurotransmitters of the excitatory ganglionic neurons are acetylcholine and substance P; those of the inhibitory neurons are vasoactive intestinal peptide and nitric oxide. Peristalsis results from the patterned activation of inhibitory followed by excitatory ganglionic neurons, with


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InternalMed_Harrison. P; those of the inhibitory neurons are vasoactive intestinal peptide and nitric oxide. Peristalsis results from the patterned activation of inhibitory followed by excitatory ganglionic neurons, with progressive dominance of the inhibitory neurons distally. Similarly, LES relaxation occurs with the onset of deglutitive inhibition and persists until the peristaltic sequence is complete. At rest, the LES is contracted because of excitatory ganglionic stimulation and its intrinsic myogenic tone, a property that distinguishes it from the adjacent esophagus. The function of the LES is supplemented by the surrounding muscle of the right diaphragmatic crus, which acts as an external sphincter during inspiration, cough, or abdominal straining.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Dysphagia can be subclassified both by location and by the circumstances in which it occurs. With respect to location, distinct considerations apply to oral, pharyngeal, or esophageal dysphagia. Normal transport of an ingested bolus depends on the consistency and size of the bolus, the caliber of the lumen, the integrity of peristaltic contraction, and deglutitive inhibition of both the UES and the LES. Dysphagia caused by an oversized bolus or a narrow lumen is called structural dysphagia, whereas dysphagia due to abnormalities of peristalsis or impaired sphincter relaxation after swallowing is called propulsive or Sagittal view of the pharynx Soft palate Thyrohyoid membrane Cricothyroid membrane Hyoid bone Vocal cord Transverse arytenoid ms. Hard palate Epiglottis Digastric (post. belly) Oral cavity Mylohoid ms. (hypopharynx) (ant. belly) Middle constrictor


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InternalMed_Harrison. FIguRE 53-1 Sagittal and diagrammatic views of the musculature involved in enacting oropharyngeal swallowing. Note the dominance of the tongue in the sagittal view and the intimate relationship between the entrance to the larynx (airway) and the esophagus. In the resting configuration illustrated, the esophageal inlet is closed. This is transiently reconfigured such that the esophageal inlet is open and the laryngeal inlet closed during swallowing. (Adapted from PJ Kahrilas, in DW Gelfand and JE Richter [eds]: Dysphagia: Diagnosis and Treatment. New York: Igaku-Shoin Medical Publishers, 1989, pp. 11–28.) 256 motor dysphagia. More than one mechanism may be operative in a patient with dysphagia. Scleroderma commonly presents with absent peristalsis as well as a weakened LES that predisposes patients to peptic stricture formation. Likewise, radiation therapy for head and neck cancer may compound the functional deficits in the oropharyngeal swallow attributable to the tumor and cause


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InternalMed_Harrison. patients to peptic stricture formation. Likewise, radiation therapy for head and neck cancer may compound the functional deficits in the oropharyngeal swallow attributable to the tumor and cause cervical esophageal stenosis.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Oral and Pharyngeal (Oropharyngeal) Dysphagia Oral-phase dysphagia is associated with poor bolus formation and control so that food has prolonged retention within the oral cavity and may seep out of the mouth. Drooling and difficulty in initiating swallowing are other characteristic signs. Poor bolus control also may lead to premature spillage of food into the hypopharynx with resultant aspiration into the trachea or regurgitation into the nasal cavity. Pharyngeal-phase dysphagia is associated with retention of food in the pharynx due to poor tongue or pharyngeal propulsion or obstruction at the UES. Signs and symptoms of concomitant hoarseness or cranial nerve dysfunction may be associated with oropharyngeal dysphagia.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Oropharyngeal dysphagia may be due to neurologic, muscular, structural, iatrogenic, infectious, and metabolic causes. Iatrogenic, neurologic, and structural pathologies are most common. Iatrogenic causes include surgery and radiation, often in the setting of head and neck cancer. Neurogenic dysphagia resulting from cerebrovascular accidents, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a major source of morbidity related to aspiration and malnutrition. Medullary nuclei directly innervate the oropharynx. Lateralization of pharyngeal dysphagia implies either a structural pharyngeal lesion or a neurologic process that selectively targeted the ipsilateral brainstem nuclei or cranial nerve. Advances in functional brain imaging have elucidated an important role of the cerebral cortex in swallow function and dysphagia. Asymmetry in the cortical representation of the pharynx provides an explanation for the dysphagia that occurs as a consequence of unilateral cortical


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InternalMed_Harrison. cortex in swallow function and dysphagia. Asymmetry in the cortical representation of the pharynx provides an explanation for the dysphagia that occurs as a consequence of unilateral cortical cerebrovascular accidents.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Oropharyngeal structural lesions causing dysphagia include Zenker’s diverticulum, cricopharyngeal bar, and neoplasia. Zenker’s diverticulum typically is encountered in elderly patients, with an estimated prevalence between 1:1000 and 1:10,000. In addition to dysphagia, patients may present with regurgitation of particulate food debris, aspiration, and halitosis. The pathogenesis is related to stenosis of the cricopharyngeus that causes diminished opening of the UES and results in increased hypopharyngeal pressure during swallowing with development of a pulsion diverticulum immediately above the cricopharyngeus in a region of potential weakness known as Killian’s dehiscence. A cricopharyngeal bar, appearing as a prominent indentation behind the lower third of the cricoid cartilage, is related to Zenker’s diverticulum in that it involves limited distensibility of the cricopharyngeus and can lead to the formation of a Zenker’s diverticulum. However, a cricopharyngeal bar is a common


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InternalMed_Harrison. related to Zenker’s diverticulum in that it involves limited distensibility of the cricopharyngeus and can lead to the formation of a Zenker’s diverticulum. However, a cricopharyngeal bar is a common radiographic finding, and most patients with transient cricopharyngeal bars are asymptomatic, making it important to rule out alternative etiologies of dysphagia before treatment. Furthermore, cricopharyngeal bars may be secondary to other neuromuscular disorders.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Since the pharyngeal phase of swallowing occurs in less than a second, rapid-sequence fluoroscopy is necessary to evaluate for functional abnormalities. Adequate fluoroscopic examination requires that the patient be conscious and cooperative. The study incorporates recordings of swallow sequences during ingestion of food and liquids of varying consistencies. The pharynx is examined to detect bolus retention, regurgitation into the nose, or aspiration into the trachea. Timing and integrity of pharyngeal contraction and opening of the UES with a swallow are analyzed to assess both aspiration risk and the potential for swallow therapy. Structural abnormalities of the oropharynx, especially those which may require biopsies, also should be assessed by direct laryngoscopic examination.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Esophageal Dysphagia The adult esophagus measures 18–26 cm in length and is anatomically divided into the cervical esophagus, extending from the pharyngoesophageal junction to the suprasternal notch, and the thoracic esophagus, which continues to the diaphragmatic hiatus. When distended, the esophageal lumen has internal dimensions of


InternalMed_Harrison

InternalMed_Harrison. PART 2 Cardinal Manifestations and Presentation of Diseases about 2 cm in the anteroposterior plane and 3 cm in the lateral plane. Solid food dysphagia becomes common when the lumen is narrowed to <13 mm but also can occur with larger diameters in the setting of poorly masticated food or motor dysfunction. Circumferential lesions are more likely to cause dysphagia than are lesions that involve only a partial circumference of the esophageal wall. The most common structural causes of dysphagia are Schatzki’s rings, eosinophilic esophagitis, and peptic strictures. Dysphagia also occurs in the setting of gastroesophageal reflux disease without a stricture, perhaps on the basis of altered esophageal sensation, distensibility, or motor function.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Propulsive disorders leading to esophageal dysphagia result from abnormalities of peristalsis and/or deglutitive inhibition, potentially affecting the cervical or thoracic esophagus. Since striated muscle pathology usually involves both the oropharynx and the cervical esophagus, the clinical manifestations usually are dominated by oropharyngeal dysphagia. Diseases affecting smooth muscle involve both the thoracic esophagus and the LES. A dominant manifestation of this, absent peristalsis, refers to either the complete absence of swallow-induced contraction or the presence of nonperistaltic, disordered contractions. Absent peristalsis and failure of deglutitive LES relaxation are the defining features of achalasia. In diffuse esophageal spasm (DES), LES function is normal, with the disordered motility restricted to the esophageal body. Absent peristalsis combined with severe weakness of the LES is a nonspecific pattern commonly found in patients with scleroderma.


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InternalMed_Harrison. APPROACH TO THE PATIENT: Figure 53-2 shows an algorithm for the approach to a patient with dysphagia.


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InternalMed_Harrison. The patient history is extremely valuable in making a presumptive diagnosis or at least substantially restricting the differential diagnoses in most patients. Key elements of the history are the localization of dysphagia, the circumstances in which dysphagia is experienced, other symptoms associated with dysphagia, and progression. Dysphagia that localizes to the suprasternal notch may indicate either an oropharyngeal or an esophageal etiology as distal dysphagia is referred proximally about 30% of the time. Dysphagia that localizes to the chest is esophageal in origin. Nasal regurgitation and tracheobronchial aspiration manifest by coughing with swallowing are hallmarks of oropharyngeal dysphagia. Severe cough with swallowing may also be a sign of a tracheoesophageal fistula. The presence of hoarseness may be another important diagnostic clue. When hoarseness precedes dysphagia, the primary lesion is usually laryngeal; hoarseness that occurs after the development of dysphagia may


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InternalMed_Harrison. of hoarseness may be another important diagnostic clue. When hoarseness precedes dysphagia, the primary lesion is usually laryngeal; hoarseness that occurs after the development of dysphagia may result from compromise of the recurrent laryngeal nerve by a malignancy. The type of food causing dysphagia is a crucial detail. Intermittent dysphagia that occurs only with solid food implies structural dysphagia, whereas constant dysphagia with both liquids and solids strongly suggests a motor abnormality. Two caveats to this pattern are that despite having a motor abnormality, patients with scleroderma generally develop mild dysphagia for solids only and, somewhat paradoxically, that patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia often have greater difficulty managing liquids than solids. Dysphagia that is progressive over the course of weeks to months raises concern for neoplasia. Episodic dysphagia to solids that is unchanged over years indicates a benign disease process such as a Schatzki’s ring


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InternalMed_Harrison. is progressive over the course of weeks to months raises concern for neoplasia. Episodic dysphagia to solids that is unchanged over years indicates a benign disease process such as a Schatzki’s ring or eosinophilic esophagitis. Food impaction with a prolonged inability to pass an ingested bolus even with ingestion of liquid is typical of a structural dysphagia. Chest pain frequently accompanies dysphagia whether it is related to motor disorders, structural disorders, or reflux disease. A prolonged history of heartburn preceding the onset of dysphagia is suggestive of peptic stricture and, infrequently, esophageal adenocarcinoma. A history of prolonged nasogastric intubation, esophageal or head and neck surgery, ingestion of caustic to neck, nasal regurgitation, aspiration, neck, food impaction


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InternalMed_Harrison. FIguRE 53-2 Approach to the patient with dysphagia. Etiologies in bold print are the most common. ENT, ear, nose, and throat; GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease. agents or pills, previous radiation or chemotherapy, or associated mucocutaneous diseases may help isolate the cause of dysphagia. With accompanying odynophagia, which usually is indicative of ulceration, infectious or pill-induced esophagitis should be suspected. In patients with AIDS or other immunocompromised states, esophagitis due to opportunistic infections such as Candida, herpes simplex virus, or cytomegalovirus and to tumors such as Kaposi’s sarcoma and lymphoma should be considered. A strong history of atopy increases concerns for eosinophilic esophagitis.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Physical examination is important in the evaluation of oral and pharyngeal dysphagia because dysphagia is usually only one of many manifestations of a more global disease process. Signs of bulbar or pseudobulbar palsy, including dysarthria, dysphonia, ptosis, tongue atrophy, and hyperactive jaw jerk, in addition to evidence of generalized neuromuscular disease, should be elicited. The neck should be examined for thyromegaly. A careful inspection of the mouth and pharynx should disclose lesions that may interfere with passage of food. Missing dentition can interfere with mastication and exacerbate an existing cause of dysphagia. Physical examination is less helpful in the evaluation of esophageal dysphagia as most relevant pathology is restricted to the esophagus. The notable exception is skin disease. Changes in the skin may suggest a diagnosis of scleroderma or mucocutaneous diseases such as pemphigoid, lichen planus and epidermolysis bullosa, all of which can involve the esophagus.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Although most instances of dysphagia are attributable to benign disease processes, dysphagia is also a cardinal symptom of several malignancies, making it an important symptom to evaluate. Cancer may result in dysphagia due to intraluminal obstruction (esophageal or proximal gastric cancer, metastatic deposits), extrinsic compression (lymphoma, lung cancer), or paraneoplastic syndromes. Even when not attributable to malignancy, dysphagia is usually a manifestation of an identifiable and treatable disease entity, making its evaluation beneficial to the patient and gratifying to the practitioner. The specific diagnostic algorithm to pursue is guided by the details of the history (Fig. 53-2). If oral or pharyngeal dysphagia is suspected, a fluoroscopic swallow study, usually done by a swallow therapist, is the procedure of choice. Otolaryngoscopic and neurologic evaluation also can be important, depending on the circumstances. For suspected esophageal dysphagia, upper endoscopy is the


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InternalMed_Harrison. therapist, is the procedure of choice. Otolaryngoscopic and neurologic evaluation also can be important, depending on the circumstances. For suspected esophageal dysphagia, upper endoscopy is the single most useful test. Endoscopy allows better visualization of mucosal lesions than does barium radiography and also allows one to obtain mucosal biopsies. Endoscopic or histologic abnormalities are evident in the leading causes of esophageal dysphagia: Schatzki ring, gastroesophageal reflux disease and eosinophilic esophagitis. Furthermore, therapeutic intervention with esophageal dilation can be done as part of the procedure if it is deemed necessary. The emergence of eosinophilic esophagitis as a leading cause of dysphagia in both children and adults has led to the recommendation that esophageal mucosal biopsies be obtained routinely in the evaluation of unexplained dysphagia even if endoscopically identified esophageal mucosal lesions are absent. For cases of suspected esophageal


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InternalMed_Harrison. esophageal mucosal biopsies be obtained routinely in the evaluation of unexplained dysphagia even if endoscopically identified esophageal mucosal lesions are absent. For cases of suspected esophageal motility disorders, endoscopy is still the appropriate initial evaluation as neoplastic and inflammatory conditions can secondarily produce patterns of either achalasia or esophageal spasm. Esophageal manometry is done if dysphagia is not adequately explained by endoscopy or to confirm the diagnosis of a suspected esophageal motor disorder. Barium radiography can provide useful adjunctive information in cases of subtle or complex esophageal strictures, prior esophageal surgery, esophageal diverticula, or paraesophageal herniation. In specific cases, computed tomography (CT) examination and endoscopic ultrasonography may be useful.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Treatment of dysphagia depends on both the locus and the specific etiology. Oropharyngeal dysphagia most commonly results from functional deficits caused by neurologic disorders. In such circumstances, the treatment focuses on utilizing postures or maneuvers devised to reduce pharyngeal residue and enhance airway protection learned under the direction of a trained swallow therapist. Aspiration risk may be reduced by altering the consistency of ingested food and liquid. Dysphagia resulting from a cerebrovascular accident usually, but not always, spontaneously improves within the first few weeks after the event. More severe and persistent cases may require gastrostomy and enteral feeding. Patients with myasthenia gravis (Chap. 461) and polymyositis (Chap. 388) may respond to medical treatment of the primary neuromuscular disease. Surgical intervention with cricopharyngeal myotomy is usually not helpful, with the exception of specific disorders such as the idiopathic cricopharyngeal bar,


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InternalMed_Harrison. of the primary neuromuscular disease. Surgical intervention with cricopharyngeal myotomy is usually not helpful, with the exception of specific disorders such as the idiopathic cricopharyngeal bar, Zenker’s diverticulum, and oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy. Chronic neurologic disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may manifest with severe oropharyngeal dysphagia. Feeding by a nasogastric tube or an endoscopically placed gastrostomy tube may be considered for nutritional support; however, these maneuvers do not provide protection against aspiration of salivary secretions or refluxed gastric contents.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Treatment of esophageal dysphagia is covered in detail in Chap. 347. The majority of causes of esophageal dysphagia are effectively managed by means of esophageal dilatation using bougie or balloon dilators. Cancer and achalasia are often managed surgically, although endoscopic techniques are available for both palliation and primary therapy, respectively. Infectious etiologies respond to antimicrobial medications or treatment of the underlying immunosuppressive state. Finally, eosinophilic esophagitis has emerged as an important cause of dysphagia that is amenable to treatment by elimination of dietary allergens or administration of swallowed, topically acting glucocorticoids. PART 2 Cardinal Manifestations and Presentation of Diseases nausea, vomiting, and 54 indigestion William L. Hasler


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InternalMed_Harrison. William L. Hasler Nausea is the subjective feeling of a need to vomit. Vomiting (emesis) is the oral expulsion of gastrointestinal contents due to contractions of gut and thoracoabdominal wall musculature. Vomiting is contrasted with regurgitation, the effortless passage of gastric contents into the mouth. Rumination is the repeated regurgitation of food residue, which may be rechewed and reswallowed. In contrast to emesis, these phenomena may exhibit volitional control. Indigestion is a term encompassing a range of complaints including nausea, vomiting, heartburn, regurgitation, and dyspepsia (the presence of symptoms thought to originate in the gastroduodenal region). Some individuals with dyspepsia report predominantly epigastric burning, gnawing, or pain. Others experience postprandial fullness, early satiety (an inability to complete a meal due to premature fullness), bloating, eructation (belching), and anorexia.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Vomiting is coordinated by the brainstem and is effected by responses in the gut, pharynx, and somatic musculature. Mechanisms underlying nausea are poorly understood but likely involve the cerebral cortex, as nausea requires conscious perception. This is supported by functional brain imaging studies showing activation of a range of cerebral cortical regions during nausea. Coordination of Emesis Brainstem nuclei—including the nucleus tractus solitarius; dorsal vagal and phrenic nuclei; medullary nuclei regulating respiration; and nuclei that control pharyngeal, facial, and tongue movements—coordinate initiation of emesis. Neurokinin NK1, serotonin 5-HT3, and vasopressin pathways participate in this coordination.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Somatic and visceral muscles respond stereotypically during emesis. Inspiratory thoracic and abdominal wall muscles contract, producing high intrathoracic and intraabdominal pressures that evacuate the stomach. The gastric cardia herniates above the diaphragm, and the larynx moves upward to propel the vomitus. Distally migrating gut contractions are normally regulated by an electrical phenomenon, the slow wave, which cycles at 3 cycles/min in the stomach and 11 cycles/ min in the duodenum. During emesis, the slow wave is abolished and is replaced by orally propagating spikes that evoke retrograde contractions that assist in expulsion of gut contents.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Activators of Emesis Emetic stimuli act at several sites. Emesis evoked by unpleasant thoughts or smells originates in the brain, whereas cranial nerves mediate vomiting after gag reflex activation. Motion sickness and inner ear disorders act on the labyrinthine system. Gastric irritants and cytotoxic agents like cisplatin stimulate gastroduodenal vagal afferent nerves. Nongastric afferents are activated by intestinal and colonic obstruction and mesenteric ischemia. The area postrema, in the medulla, responds to bloodborne stimuli (emetogenic drugs, bacterial toxins, uremia, hypoxia, ketoacidosis) and is termed the chemoreceptor trigger zone.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Neurotransmitters mediating vomiting are selective for different sites. Labyrinthine disorders stimulate vestibular muscarinic M1 and histaminergic H1 receptors. Vagal afferent stimuli activate serotonin 5-HT3 receptors. The area postrema is served by nerves acting on 5-HT , M , H , and dopamine D subtypes. Cannabinoid CB pathways may participate in the cerebral cortex. Optimal pharmacologic therapy of vomiting requires understanding of these pathways. Nausea and vomiting are caused by conditions within and outside the gut as well as by drugs and circulating toxins (Table 54-1).


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InternalMed_Harrison. Intraperitoneal Disorders Visceral obstruction and inflammation of hollow and solid viscera may elicit vomiting. Gastric obstruction results from ulcers and malignancy, whereas small-bowel and colon blockage occur because of adhesions, benign or malignant tumors, volvulus, intussusception, or inflammatory diseases like Crohn’s disease. The superior mesenteric artery syndrome, occurring after weight loss or prolonged bed rest, results when the duodenum is compressed by the overlying superior mesenteric artery. Abdominal irradiation impairs intestinal motor function and induces strictures. Biliary colic causes nausea by acting on local afferent nerves. Vomiting with pancreatitis, cholecystitis, and appendicitis is due to visceral irritation and induction of ileus. Enteric infections with viruses like norovirus or rotavirus or bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus often cause vomiting, especially in children. Opportunistic infections like cytomegalovirus or herpes


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InternalMed_Harrison. viruses like norovirus or rotavirus or bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus often cause vomiting, especially in children. Opportunistic infections like cytomegalovirus or herpes simplex virus induce emesis in immunocompromised individuals.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Gut sensorimotor dysfunction often causes nausea and vomiting. Gastroparesis presents with symptoms of gastric retention with evidence of delayed gastric emptying and occurs after vagotomy or with pancreatic carcinoma, mesenteric vascular insufficiency, or organic diseases like diabetes, scleroderma, and amyloidosis. Idiopathic gastroparesis is the most common etiology. It occurs in the absence of systemic illness and may follow a viral illness, suggesting an infectious trigger. Intestinal pseudoobstruction is characterized by disrupted intestinal and colonic motor activity with retention of food residue and secretions; bacterial overgrowth; nutrient malabsorption; and symptoms of nausea, vomiting, bloating, pain, and altered defecation. Intestinal pseudoobstruction may be idiopathic, inherited as a familial visceral myopathy or neuropathy, result from systemic disease, or occur as a paraneoplastic consequence of malignancy (e.g., small-cell lung carcinoma). Patients with


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InternalMed_Harrison. inherited as a familial visceral myopathy or neuropathy, result from systemic disease, or occur as a paraneoplastic consequence of malignancy (e.g., small-cell lung carcinoma). Patients with gastroesophageal reflux may report nausea and vomiting, as do some with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or chronic constipation.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Other functional gastroduodenal disorders without organic abnormalities have been characterized in adults. Chronic idiopathic nausea is defined as nausea without vomiting occurring several times a week. Functional vomiting is defined as one or more vomiting episodes weekly in the absence of an eating disorder or psychiatric disease. Cyclic vomiting syndrome presents with periodic discrete episodes of relentless nausea and vomiting in children and adults and shows an association with migraine headaches, suggesting that some cases may be migraine variants. Some adult cases have been described in association with rapid gastric emptying. A related condition, cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, presents with cyclical vomiting with intervening well periods in individuals (mostly men) who use large quantities of cannabis over many years and resolves with its discontinuation. Pathologic behaviors such as taking prolonged hot baths or showers are associated with the syndrome. Rumination


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InternalMed_Harrison. use large quantities of cannabis over many years and resolves with its discontinuation. Pathologic behaviors such as taking prolonged hot baths or showers are associated with the syndrome. Rumination syndrome, characterized by repetitive regurgitation of recently ingested food, is often misdiagnosed as refractory vomiting.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Extraperitoneal Disorders Myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure may cause nausea and vomiting. Postoperative emesis occurs after 25% of surgeries, most commonly laparotomy and orthopedic surgery. Increased intracranial pressure from tumors, bleeding, abscess, or blockage of cerebrospinal fluid outflow produces vomiting with or without nausea. Patients with psychiatric illnesses including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, anxiety, and depression often report significant nausea that may be associated with delayed gastric emptying.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Medications and Metabolic Disorders Drugs evoke vomiting by action on the stomach (analgesics, erythromycin) or area postrema (opiates, anti-parkinsonian drugs). Other emetogenic agents include antibiotics, cardiac antiarrhythmics, antihypertensives, oral hypoglycemics, antide-259 pressants (selective serotonin and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors), smoking cessation drugs (varenicline, nicotine), and contraceptives. Cancer chemotherapy causes vomiting that is acute (within hours of administration), delayed (after 1 or more days), or anticipatory. Acute emesis from highly emetogenic agents (e.g., cisplatin) is mediated by 5-HT3 pathways, whereas delayed emesis is less dependent on 5-HT3 mechanisms. Anticipatory nausea may respond to anxiolytic therapy rather than antiemetics.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Metabolic disorders elicit nausea and vomiting. Pregnancy is the most prevalent endocrinologic cause, and nausea affects 70% of women in the first trimester. Hyperemesis gravidarum is a severe form of nausea of pregnancy that produces significant fluid loss and electrolyte disturbances. Uremia, ketoacidosis, adrenal insufficiency, and parathyroid and thyroid disease are other metabolic etiologies. Circulating toxins evoke emesis via effects on the area postrema. Endogenous toxins are generated in fulminant liver failure, whereas exogenous enterotoxins may be produced by enteric bacterial infection. Ethanol intoxication is a common toxic etiology of nausea and vomiting. APPROACH TO THE PATIENT:


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InternalMed_Harrison. The history helps define the etiology of nausea and vomiting. Drugs, toxins, and infections often cause acute symptoms, whereas established illnesses evoke chronic complaints. Gastroparesis and pyloric obstruction elicit vomiting within an hour of eating. Emesis from intestinal blockage occurs later. Vomiting occurring within minutes of meal consumption prompts consideration of rumination syndrome. With severe gastric emptying delays, the vomitus may contain food residue ingested hours or days before. Hematemesis raises suspicion of an ulcer, malignancy, or Mallory-Weiss tear. Feculent emesis is noted with distal intestinal or colonic obstruction. Bilious vomiting excludes gastric obstruction, whereas emesis of undigested food is consistent with a Zenker’s diverticulum or achalasia. Vomiting can relieve abdominal pain from a bowel obstruction, but has no effect in pancreatitis or cholecystitis. Profound weight loss raises concern about malignancy or obstruction. Fevers suggest


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InternalMed_Harrison. Vomiting can relieve abdominal pain from a bowel obstruction, but has no effect in pancreatitis or cholecystitis. Profound weight loss raises concern about malignancy or obstruction. Fevers suggest inflammation. An intracranial source is considered if there are headaches or visual field changes. Vertigo or tinnitus indicates labyrinthine disease.


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InternalMed_Harrison. The physical examination complements the history. Orthostatic hypotension and reduced skin turgor indicate intravascular fluid loss. Pulmonary abnormalities raise concern for aspiration of vomitus. Abdominal auscultation may reveal absent bowel sounds with ileus. High-pitched rushes suggest bowel obstruction, whereas a succussion splash upon abrupt lateral movement of the patient is found with gastroparesis or pyloric obstruction. Tenderness or involuntary guarding raises suspicion of inflammation, whereas fecal blood suggests mucosal injury from ulcer, ischemia, or tumor. Neurologic disease presents with papilledema, visual field loss, or focal neural abnormalities. Neoplasm is suggested by palpation of masses or adenopathy.


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InternalMed_Harrison. For intractable symptoms or an elusive diagnosis, selected screening tests can direct clinical care. Electrolyte replacement is indicated for hypokalemia or metabolic alkalosis. Iron-deficiency anemia mandates a search for mucosal injury. Pancreaticobiliary disease is indicated by abnormal pancreatic or liver biochemistries, whereas endocrinologic, rheumatologic, or paraneoplastic etiologies are suggested by hormone or serologic abnormalities. If bowel obstruction is suspected, supine and upright abdominal radiographs may show intestinal air-fluid levels with reduced colonic air. Ileus is characterized by diffusely dilated air-filled bowel loops. CHAPTER 54 Nausea, Vomiting, and Indigestion


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InternalMed_Harrison. CHAPTER 54 Nausea, Vomiting, and Indigestion Anatomic studies may be indicated if initial testing is nondiagnostic. Upper endoscopy detects ulcers, malignancy, and retained gastric food residue in gastroparesis. Small-bowel barium radiography or computed tomography (CT) diagnoses partial bowel obstruction. Colonoscopy or contrast enema radiography detects colonic obstruction. Ultrasound or CT defines intraperitoneal inflammation; CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enterography provide superior definition of inflammation in Crohn’s disease. CT or MRI of the head can delineate intracranial disease. Mesenteric angiography, CT, or MRI is useful for suspected ischemia.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Gastrointestinal motility testing may detect an underlying motor disorder when anatomic abnormalities are absent. Gastroparesis commonly is diagnosed by gastric scintigraphy, by which emptying of a radiolabeled meal is measured. Isotopic breath tests and wireless motility capsule methods are alternatives tests to define gastroparesis in different regions of the world. Intestinal pseudoobstruction often is suggested by abnormal barium transit and luminal dilation on small-bowel contrast radiography. Delayed small-bowel transit also may be detected by wireless capsule techniques. Small-intestinal manometry can confirm the diagnosis and further characterize the motor abnormality as neuropathic or myopathic based on contractile patterns. Such investigation can obviate the need for surgical intestinal biopsy to evaluate for smooth muscle or neuronal degeneration. Combined ambulatory esophageal pH/impedance testing and high-resolution manometry can facilitate diagnosis of rumination


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InternalMed_Harrison. intestinal biopsy to evaluate for smooth muscle or neuronal degeneration. Combined ambulatory esophageal pH/impedance testing and high-resolution manometry can facilitate diagnosis of rumination syndrome.


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InternalMed_Harrison. PART 2 Cardinal Manifestations and Presentation of Diseases Therapy of vomiting is tailored to correcting remediable abnormalities if possible. Hospitalization is considered for severe dehydration, especially if oral fluid replenishment cannot be sustained. Once oral intake is tolerated, nutrients are restarted with low-fat liquids, because lipids delay gastric emptying. Foods high in indigestible residue are avoided because these prolong gastric retention. Controlling blood glucose in poorly controlled diabetics can reduce hospitalizations in gastroparesis.


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InternalMed_Harrison. The most commonly used antiemetic agents act on central nervous system sites (Table 54-2). Antihistamines like dimenhydrinate and meclizine and anticholinergics like scopolamine act on labyrinthine pathways to treat motion sickness and inner ear disorders. Dopamine D2 antagonists treat emesis evoked by area postrema stimuli and are used for medication, toxic, and metabolic etiologies. Dopamine antagonists cross the blood-brain barrier and cause anxiety, movement disorders, and hyperprolactinemic effects (galactorrhea, sexual dysfunction).


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InternalMed_Harrison. Other classes exhibit antiemetic properties. 5-HT3 antagonists such as ondansetron and granisetron can prevent postoperative vomiting, radiation therapy–induced symptoms, and cancer chemotherapy–induced emesis, but also are used for other causes of emesis with limited evidence for efficacy. Tricyclic antidepressant agents provide symptomatic benefit in patients with chronic idiopathic nausea and functional vomiting as well as in long-standing diabetic patients with nausea and vomiting. Other antidepressants such as mirtazapine and olanzapine also may exhibit antiemetic effects.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Drugs that stimulate gastric emptying are used for gastroparesis (Table 54-2). Metoclopramide, a combined 5-HT4 agonist and D2 antagonist, is effective in gastroparesis, but antidopaminergic side effects, such as dystonias and mood and sleep disturbances, limit use in ∼25% of cases. Erythromycin increases gastroduodenal motility by action on receptors for motilin, an endogenous stimulant of fasting motor activity. Intravenous erythromycin is useful for inpatients with refractory gastroparesis, but oral forms have some utility. Domperidone, a D2 antagonist not available in the United States, exhibits prokinetic and antiemetic effects but does not cross into most brain regions; thus, anxiety and dystonic reactions are rare. The main side effects of domperidone relate to induction of hyperprolactinemia via effects on pituitary regions served by a porous blood-brain barrier.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Refractory motility disorders pose significant challenges. Intestinal pseudoobstruction may respond to the somatostatin analogue octreotide, which induces propagative small-intestinal motor complexes. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors such as pyridostigmine are also observed to benefit some patients with small-bowel dysmotility. Pyloric injections of botulinum toxin are reported in uncontrolled studies to reduce gastroparesis symptoms, but small controlled trials observe benefits no greater than sham treatments. Surgical pyloroplasty has improved symptoms in case series. Placing a feeding jejunostomy reduces hospitalizations and improves overall health in some patients with drug-refractory gastroparesis. Postvagotomy gastroparesis may improve with near-total gastric resection; similar operations are now being tried for other gastroparesis etiologies. Implanted gastric electrical stimulators may reduce symptoms, enhance nutrition, improve quality of life, and decrease health care


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InternalMed_Harrison. operations are now being tried for other gastroparesis etiologies. Implanted gastric electrical stimulators may reduce symptoms, enhance nutrition, improve quality of life, and decrease health care expenditures in medication-refractory gastroparesis, but small controlled trials do not report convincing benefits.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Safety concerns about selected antiemetics have been emphasized. Centrally acting antidopaminergics, especially metoclopramide, can cause irreversible movement disorders such as tardive dyskinesia, particularly in older patients. This complication should be carefully explained and documented in the medical record. Some agents with antiemetic properties including domperidone, erythromycin, tricyclics, and 5-HT3 antagonists can induce dangerous cardiac rhythm disturbances, especially in those with QTc interval prolongation on electrocardiography (ECG). Surveillance ECG testing has been advocated for some of these agents.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Some cancer chemotherapies are intensely emetogenic (Chap. 103e). Combining a 5-HT3 antagonist, an NK1 antagonist, and a glucocorticoid provides significant control of both acute and delayed vomiting after highly emetogenic chemotherapy. Unlike other drugs in the same class, the 5-HT3 antagonist palonosetron exhibits efficacy at preventing delayed chemotherapy-induced vomiting. Benzodiazepines such as lorazepam can reduce anticipatory nausea and vomiting. Miscellaneous therapies with benefit in chemotherapy-induced emesis include cannabinoids, olanzapine, and alternative therapies like ginger. Most antiemetic regimens produce greater reductions in vomiting than in nausea.


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InternalMed_Harrison. Clinicians should exercise caution in managing pregnant patients with nausea. Studies of the teratogenic effects of antiemetic agents provide conflicting results. Few controlled trials have been performed in nausea of pregnancy. Antihistamines such as meclizine and doxylamine, antidopaminergics such as prochlorperazine, and antiserotonergics such as ondansetron demonstrate limited efficacy. Some obstetricians offer alternative therapies such as pyridoxine, acupressure, or ginger. Managing cyclic vomiting syndrome is a challenge. Prophylaxis with tricyclic antidepressants, cyproheptadine, or β-adrenoceptor antagonists can reduce the severity and frequency of attacks. Intravenous 5-HT3 antagonists combined with the sedating effects of a benzodiazepine like lorazepam are a mainstay of treatment of acute flares. Small studies report benefits with antimigraine agents, including the 5-HT1 agonist sumatriptan, as well as selected anticonvulsants such as zonisamide and levetiracetam.