What type of murmur can be associated with a cardiac myxoma?

A cardiac myxoma, which is a primary tumor of the heart, typically occurs in the left atrium and can interfere with normal blood flow. The presence of a myxoma can lead to the development of a diastolic murmur due to the obstruction of blood flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle. This obstruction occurs during diastole when the mitral valve opens, and the tumor can cause turbulence in the flow, resulting in a characteristic diastolic murmur.

This murmur is often described as a low-pitched sound that may also have a "tumor plop" or a similar quality caused by the tumor's motion or position changing during the cardiac cycle. The diastolic murmur associated with a myxoma is typically best heard at the apex of the heart.

A systolic murmur is generally associated with ventricular outflow obstructions or valvular issues occurring during systole, while a continuous murmur, which is heard throughout the cardiac cycle, could indicate conditions like a patent ductus arteriosus or arteriovenous fistulas. Histrionic murmur is not a standard term used in describing cardiac sounds or murmurs.

Therefore, the association of a di