What Is Ventricular Gallop

The third heart sound (S3), also known as the “ventricular gallop,” occurs just after S2 when the mitral valve opens, allowing passive filling of the left ventricle. The S3 sound is actually produced by the large amount of blood striking a very compliant left ventricle.

What does a ventricular gallop indicates?

Gallop rhythms may be heard in young or athletic people, but may also be a sign of serious cardiac problems like heart failure as well as pulmonary edema. Gallop rhythms may be associated with the following: Ventricular overload. Sinus tachycardia.

What is a galloping heart?

A useful definition is as follows: Cardiac gallop is a mechanical hemodynamic event associated with a relatively rapid rate of ven- tricular filling and accompanied by a ventricular bulge and a low-frequency sound. From this definition several features of the cardiac gallop are evident.