A phonocardiographic study of patients with multiple Starr-Edwards prosthetic valves.

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Abstract
Phonocardiograms have been recorded in 16 patients after multiple valve replacement with Starr-Edwards prostheses. The closing sounds of the mitral and tricuspid prostheses vary with the heart rate in a manner similar to those of a slightly stenotic mitral valve. Analysis of intervals during the cardiac cycle is facilitated by the discrete valve sounds. At rates of over 150 diastoiic filling time is greatly reduced, suggesting that arrhythmias with rapid ventricular rate should be treated promptly in patients with mitral or tricuspid prostheses.