Question

When taking a patient's BP why is it important to notice the pressure on the manometer when you hear the fourth Korotkoff sound or phase?

1) You might not hear a fifth Korotkoff sound
2) Correspond to patient systolic pressure.
3) You need to record patient diastolic pressure.
4) It is the loudest Korotkoff sound.

Answer 1

Noticing the pressure at the fourth Korotkoff sound during blood pressure measurement is crucial as it might be the point before diastolic pressure is recorded, especially if the fifth sound is inaudible, ensuring accurate blood pressure readings.(option 1)

Step-by-step explanation:

When taking a patient's blood pressure (BP), noticing the pressure on the manometer when you hear the fourth Korotkoff sound is important because you might not hear a fifth Korotkoff sound.

The fourth Korotkoff sound can represent a transition point where the sounds may become muffled, indicating that diastolic pressure recording is needed.

While it is common to record the pressure at which the fifth Korotkoff sound is heard as the diastolic pressure, in some cases, this sound may not be present or may be difficult to hear, especially in patients with certain circulatory conditions.

Thus, the fourth sounding can provide a more reliable indication for recording diastolic pressure. Not the first (which indicates the systolic pressure) nor the loudest, but it is significant as it might be the last sound you hear before silence, which indicates that the artery is no longer compressed and blood is flowing freely.