Opening snap on auscultation is most often associated with which arrhythmia?

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Multiple Choice

Opening snap on auscultation is most often associated with which arrhythmia?

Opening snap is a hallmark of mitral stenosis, produced when the stiff mitral valve leaflets abruptly open in early diastole after the aortic component of S2. This valvular disorder drives increased left atrial pressure and enlargement, which creates a substrate for atrial arrhythmias. Among these, atrial fibrillation is the most common in mitral stenosis because the enlarged, stressed left atrium promotes chaotic atrial electrical activity. Atrial flutter can occur, but it is less common than AF in this setting. Sinus tachycardia and ventricular tachycardia aren’t specifically tied to the opening snap finding. So the arrhythmia most often associated with this auscultatory sign is atrial fibrillation.

Opening snap is a hallmark of mitral stenosis, produced when the stiff mitral valve leaflets abruptly open in early diastole after the aortic component of S2. This valvular disorder drives increased left atrial pressure and enlargement, which creates a substrate for atrial arrhythmias. Among these, atrial fibrillation is the most common in mitral stenosis because the enlarged, stressed left atrium promotes chaotic atrial electrical activity. Atrial flutter can occur, but it is less common than AF in this setting. Sinus tachycardia and ventricular tachycardia aren’t specifically tied to the opening snap finding. So the arrhythmia most often associated with this auscultatory sign is atrial fibrillation.

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