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Multiple Choice

Korotkoff sounds are the sounds heard during blood pressure measurement that record what?

Korotkoff sounds come from listening to arterial blood flow as you deflate the cuff. They show the pressures where flow becomes audible and then stops. The first sound marks the systolic pressure—the peak pressure during heart contraction. The point where the sounds disappear marks the diastolic pressure—the pressure during heart relaxation when flow is no longer turbulent. These two values are what you record as the blood pressure. Mean arterial pressure is not read from the sounds; it’s a calculated estimate, often using a formula like diastolic pressure plus one‑third of the pulse pressure.

Korotkoff sounds come from listening to arterial blood flow as you deflate the cuff. They show the pressures where flow becomes audible and then stops. The first sound marks the systolic pressure—the peak pressure during heart contraction. The point where the sounds disappear marks the diastolic pressure—the pressure during heart relaxation when flow is no longer turbulent. These two values are what you record as the blood pressure. Mean arterial pressure is not read from the sounds; it’s a calculated estimate, often using a formula like diastolic pressure plus one‑third of the pulse pressure.