Which cardiac condition is commonly associated with a crescendo-decrescendo murmur?

A crescendo-decrescendo murmur is typically associated with aortic stenosis, which occurs when the aortic valve narrows, limiting blood flow from the heart into the aorta during systole. This type of murmur is characterized by an initial increase in sound intensity followed by a decrease, which corresponds to the hemodynamic changes as blood is ejected through the narrowed valve.

In aortic stenosis, as the left ventricle contracts, the flow of blood through the restricted valve causes turbulence, producing this characteristic murmur. The intensity of the murmur peaks mid-systole and then diminishes as the ventricular contraction decreases, aligning perfectly with the crescendo-decrescendo pattern.

In contrast, conditions such as mitral stenosis and tricuspid stenosis produce different types of murmurs due to their distinct hemodynamic impacts, which often involve a holosystolic (or continuous) nature rather than the specific crescendo-decrescendo pattern. Pericardial effusion is typically associated with a muffled heart sound rather than a specific murmur characteristic. Thus, aortic stenosis is the condition that commonly presents with the crescendo-decrescendo murmur.