What causes turbulence in heart murmurs?

Turbulence in heart murmurs is primarily caused by turbulence in the blood flow across the heart valves. When blood flows through the heart, it typically moves smoothly, creating laminar flow. However, various factors can disrupt this smooth flow, leading to turbulence. This turbulence often occurs when blood flows over narrowed or irregularly shaped valves or when there is high flow velocity through a normal valve due to conditions such as anemia or fever.

In the context of heart murmurs, different kinds of murmurs are linked to specific types of turbulence. For instance, aortic stenosis creates turbulence due to a narrowing of the outflow tract, while mitral regurgitation can lead to turbulence due to backward flow of blood. Thus, the presence of turbulence across the heart valves helps to characterize and differentiate the types of murmurs heard during auscultation.

The other options do not encompass the primary underlying mechanism of turbulence in heart murmurs. Obstruction in blood vessels can cause murmurs but is not the direct source of turbulence related to heart valve function. Aortic regurgitation refers specifically to the backflow of blood and is a type of murmur generated by turbulence but does not cover the entire concept. Inadequate blood supply is more related to ischem