What it means
Often just called a rub. A pleural friction rub comes from the inflamed layers of the pleura around the lungs and is heard during breathing; it stops if the client holds their breath. A pericardial friction rub comes from the sac around the heart and keeps time with the heartbeat, even when the breath is held.
For the nurse
To tell them apart, ask the client to hold their breath briefly while you listen. Note where the sound is loudest and report a new rub.
At a glance
| Also written | friction rubs |
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Related terms
auscultation
Listening to the sounds inside the body, usually with a stethoscope.
pericarditis
Inflammation of the pericardium, the thin sac that surrounds the heart.
pleural space
The thin space between the two layers of the pleura, the membrane that covers the lungs and lines the chest wall.