What is the typical clinical finding in patients with mitral regurgitation?

In patients with mitral regurgitation, a characteristic clinical finding is the presence of a holosystolic murmur. This murmur occurs due to the backflow of blood from the left ventricle into the left atrium during systole. It typically begins with the first heart sound and continues throughout systole, ending just before the second heart sound. This continuous nature throughout the systolic phase is a distinguishing feature of the murmur associated with mitral regurgitation, making it an important diagnostic tool for clinicians.

While other clinical manifestations can occur in patients with mitral regurgitation, such as decreased exercise tolerance due to heart failure or pulmonary congestion, the holosystolic murmur is a direct and specific auscultatory finding that helps confirm the diagnosis.