What Is The S2 Heart Sound Jun 2026

Picture the instant. Ventricles have just finished squeezing. Their pressure plummets. For a fraction of a second, the aorta (high pressure) and the pulmonary artery (lower pressure) still hold blood that wants to surge backward into the heart. But the aortic and pulmonic valves snap shut like umbrellas blown inside out by the wind—only in reverse. Their cusps meet, tense, and vibrate. That vibration, transmitted through the chest wall, is S2.

When you breathe in, your diaphragm descends. The pressure inside your chest drops, drawing more blood into the right heart. That extra blood takes a little longer to eject through the pulmonic valve, so P2 is delayed. Meanwhile, the left heart receives slightly less blood during inspiration, so A2 happens a hair earlier. The result: on a good exhalation, “dub” sounds like one crisp note. On a deep breath in, the “dub” splits into two soft, fleeting clicks— tuh-dup . This is called of S2. It is normal, even beautiful, a sign of a flexible, responsive heart. what is the s2 heart sound