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Friedreich's sign
System: Heart & Circulation Signs · All heart & circulation signs
What it is — and how it is elicited
A steep, collapsing fall (y descent) in the jugular venous pulse, visible in the neck veins.
What a positive finding suggests
Associated with constrictive pericarditis and other states where the heart's filling is abruptly limited.
◈ Behind the name
Nikolaus Friedreich (1825–1882), German neurologist and pathologist.
Related signs — Heart & Circulation Signs
Browse the F section of the A–Z list or return to the Clinical Signs hub.
Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.