Third heart sound: genesis and clinical importance

Auscultation of third heart sound has been performed for more than a century, an interest that not only persists today, but also has experienced renewed emphasis. Sophisticated study of the third heart sound by current investigative techniques has underscored the value of clinical detection with the time-honored stethoscope. This review re-examines the mechanisms of genesis of third heart sound in regard to the hemodynamic and echocardiographic aspects, and its clinical importance.