What clinical finding is classic for aortic stenosis?

A classic clinical finding for aortic stenosis is a systolic ejection murmur, which is typically best heard at the right second intercostal space. This murmur arises from turbulent blood flow through the narrowed aortic valve during systole, as the left ventricle ejects blood into the aorta. The location of the murmur is significant; the right second intercostal space is directly over the aortic auscultatory area, making it the optimal location for detecting this specific type of murmur.

The characteristics of the murmur in aortic stenosis are important for diagnosis. It is described as being a "crescendo-decrescendo" pattern, starting soft, increasing in intensity, and then decreasing. This sound is an indicator of the increased pressure required by the left ventricle to overcome the resistance presented by the narrowed aortic valve.

Other options, while they represent various cardiac findings, do not specifically correlate with the classic presentation of aortic stenosis. For instance, a diastolic murmur is often associated with aortic regurgitation, and a continuous murmur is typically seen in conditions such as patent ductus arteriosus. A high-pitched sound with inspiration does not align with