A venous hum heard with a Bell over the Jugular and Inferior Vena Cava is characterized by which finding?

• A. A constant high-pitched sound
• B. No sound
• C. A muffled rustling
• D. A soft, continuous low-pitched sound that increases during diastole

Answer: (D)

A venous hum is a soft, continuous murmur produced by turbulent blood flow in the jugular venous system. Because it’s a low-frequency sound, it’s best heard with the bell and can be transmitted down toward the chest when listening over the jugular area or where the venous column extends toward the heart. This murmur persists throughout the cardiac cycle, and its intensity can be greatest during diastole when venous return to the right atrium is ongoing, which is why it’s described as increasing during diastole. It’s a benign finding and typically diminishes with changes in position or when the jugular vein is compressed.

The other descriptions don’t fit: a constant high-pitched sound would suggest a different murmur or bruit; no sound would imply absence of a murmur; a muffled rustling is not characteristic of venous hum.