New auscultation: can we detect heart failure by auscultation ?

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) is the terminal stage of many cardiovascular diseases. The echocardiography, B-type natriuretic peptide, and Nterminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide are still the main auxiliary examinations in HF diagnosis. Auscultation is non-invasive, cost-effective, and requires minimal equipment. However, its use is limited by the low diagnostic sensitivity and accuracy. The acoustic cardiography synchronizes phonocardiogram signals with electrocardiogram signals. Previous research has demonstrated that the indicators of acoustic cardiography could be used to evaluate left ventricular function, predict adverse events, and improve the accuracy of the HF diagnosis. The computer-aided detection technique realizes the automatic comprehensive analysis of heart sounds. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current research of heart sounds used in HF and propose new auscultation in the future.