[Current role of phonomechanocardiographic recording in the diagnosis of heart valve diseases].

Phonocardiography (and auscultation) provide many accurate diagnoses of valvular heart diseases, when they are fully developed and give rise to a typical murmur. Echocardiography displays its mechanism, in most cases (leaflet thickening, ruptured chordae tendinae, vegetations, prolapse). Assessment of their severity is based on analysis of the systolic time intervals on the one hand, and on echocardiographic measurements on the other, i.e., internal dimensions of the heart chambers, wall thickenesses and motions. When necessary, acute pharmacologic interventions permit the diagnosis (positive and differential) of the various types of ventricular outflow tract obstructions (mild or severe), of mild, atypical or "masquerading" regurgitations and of the "innocent" murmurs. They are easier to carry out and to interpret on the basis of phonocardiographic than echocardiographic recordings. Hence the advisability of using both diagnostic methods, as each provides specific data which often support, and always complete one another.