Question

In peripheral vascular assessment, where should auscultation be performed? Where should palpation occur, and what should be checked for?

Answer 1

Auscultation for vascular assessment is performed over major arteries to detect bruits, and palpation is done at accessible pulse points to assess pulse quality, rhythm, and strength.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the assessment of peripheral vascular health, auscultation should typically be performed over major arteries to listen for bruits, indicating turbulent blood flow. Common sites for auscultation include the carotid arteries in the neck, the abdominal aorta, the renal arteries, the iliac arteries, and the femoral arteries.

Furthermore, palpation occurs at several key points where pulse can be measured, namely the radial artery at the wrist, the carotid artery in the neck, the brachial artery in the upper arm, the femoral artery in the thigh, the popliteal artery behind the knee, the posterior tibial artery near the medial ankle, and the dorsalis pedis artery on the foot. The clinician is checking for the quality, rhythm, and strength of the pulse to assess circulatory health.