Levine and Harvey’s grading of cardiac murmurs

Levine and Harvey’s grading of cardiac murmurs

Murmurs are graded depending on their intensity from grade 1 to grade 6, grade 6 being the loudest. Though the presence of thrill is not part of the grading, in general, murmurs of grade 4 and above are associated with a thrill. Grade 1 murmur is very faint while grade 6 murmur can be heard with the stethoscope kept near the chest without actual contact. The grading is often called Levine’s grading though it was described by Harvey and Levine.