17. Measuring arterial blood pressure

How does a cuff and stethoscope estimate blood pressure?

by changing external pressure on an artery and listening for korotkoff sounds

Inflate the cuff until _. The artery is _, so no Korotkoff sounds are heard.

cuff pressure exceeds arterial pressure, compressed and blood flow stops

Slowly release cuff pressure. When systolic pressure _, blood spurts through during each heartbeat and creates turbulent flow. The first sound marks systolic pressure.

briefly exceeds cuff pressure,

Continue releasing pressure. When cuff pressure _, the artery remains open throughout the cardiac cycle and flow becomes less turbulent. The sounds disappear; the disappearance marks diastolic pressure

falls below diastolic pressure

Why must cuff pressure be released slowly?

So you can distinguish the first sound from the second