What term describes a blowing or swishing sound indicating blood flow turbulence?

The term that describes a blowing or swishing sound indicative of blood flow turbulence is "bruit." Bruits are often associated with abnormal blood flow, which can result from turbulence due to narrowed arteries or other vascular abnormalities. This sound is typically detected during auscultation using a stethoscope over areas such as the carotid arteries, abdominal aorta, or peripheral arteries. The identification of a bruit can be significant in assessing a patient's cardiovascular health, as it may indicate underlying conditions such as atherosclerosis or vascular occlusion.

The other terms provided do not appropriately describe blood flow turbulence. A gallop refers to a specific pattern of heart sounds that can indicate heart failure, while a click usually describes a high-pitched sound heard in certain heart conditions such as mitral valve prolapse. Whisper is unrelated to any specific medical sound and doesn’t pertain to the context of vascular assessment. Thus, "bruit" is the correct terminology for the described sound in this scenario.