Acquired continuous murmur associated with acute pulmonary thromboembolism

Two cases of a continuous murmur following an acute pulmonary embolic episode are presented, and eight previously reported cases with an acquired postembolic continuous murmur (found in a review of the literature) are discussed. This finding is present in both chronic and acute pulmonary embolism and is suggestive of significant embolic obstruction. Although the continuous murmur is an unusual sign in patients with pulmonary embolism, its auscultation is often quite distinctive, and its appearance may lead to more definitive diagnostic studies when the presentation or associated clinical findings are nonspecific.