It may be difficult even for medical staff, except for cardiologists and sonographers, to actually imagine what SAM is. Anyway, take a look at a finding called SAM in movie because seeing is believing as the proverb goes.
You can see the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve moving toward the base of ventricular septum during mid- to late systole. This is SAM! In my opinion, SAM is shown more impressively in short axis images than in long axis images of echocardiography; hence, I'd prefer the last third of the video.
SAM can be a cause of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, leading to chest pain, heart failure, and arrhythmias. To reduce outflow obstruction or to improve symptoms and outcomes, treatment with negative inotropic effects, such as beta-blockers, should be considered in patients with SAM.
This phenomenon appers to be often missed because the leaflet is tiny in the heart and the motion never lasts through a cardiac cycle. However, given the impact of SAM on hemodynamics, more attention should be paid to in the detection of SAM, as to vegetations among patients with fevers and heart murmurs to assess the possibility of infective endocarditis.
Remember: a tiny finding can be a giant in the heart.
