Aortic murmurs are located at which intercostal spaces?

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Aortic murmurs are heard best where the aortic valve lies closest to the chest wall: the right parasternal area at the second intercostal space. That location aligns with the aortic valve’s anatomical position, so turbulent flow from conditions like aortic stenosis or regurgitation is most audible there. In some individuals the murmur may extend to the adjacent right third intercostal space, reflecting variations in anatomy or murmur radiation, but the canonical listening point is the right second intercostal space. The apex, located at the left fifth intercostal space along the midclavicular line, is the mitral area for mitral murmurs. The base refers more generally to the upper chest sound, but the precise, most reliable site for aortic murmurs is the right second intercostal space.