Blood pressure and orthostatic hypotension

Question 1

Why is sphygmomanometry useful?

Answer 1

• cheap and reproducible
• high BP is common risk factor for many diseases
• can be automated

Question 2

Where is the diaphragm of the stethoscope placed when measure blood pressure?

Answer 2

-on the antecubital fossa

Question 3

What is the protocol of the blood pressure measurement?

Answer 3

-slow deflation of cuff causes turbulent flow which can be heard with a stethoscope

• cuff inflated above systolic BP -slow deflation until light tapping heard - systolic BP
• tapping gets louder with continued deflation
• cessation of tapping is diastolic BP

-sounds (Korotkoff sounds) due to transitions from laminar to turbulent (SBP) and turbulent to laminar flow (DBP)

Question 4

What is sphygmomanometry?

Answer 4

-measurement of the pressure in the arterial circulation

Question 5

How can blood pressure be analysed?

Answer 5

-paired data assessed using paired t-test (parametric) or Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests (non-parametric)