21.5 Checking Circulation

Question 1

pulse

Answer 1

• pressure wave caused by the alternate expansion and recoil of elastic arteries after each systole of the left ventricle
• strongest in arteries closest to the heart, weaker in the arterioles

Question 2

tachycardia

Answer 2

-a rapid resting heart or pulse rate of over 100 beats/min

Question 3

bradychardia

Answer 3

-a slow resting heart or pulse rate under 50 beats/min

Question 4

blood pressure (clinical definition)

Answer 4

-the pressure in arteries generated by the left ventricle during systole and the pressure remaining in arteries when the ventricle is in diastole

Question 5

sphygmomanometer

Answer 5

• the device used to measure blood pressure (a BP cuff)
• cuff is put on arm and brachial artery is compressed until blood flow completely stops, then places the stethoscope below the cuff and deflates the cuff slowly, listening for sounds
• the pressure when the first sound is heard is the systolic blood pressure, and the pressure when the last sound heard is the diastolic blood pressure

Question 6

systolic blood pressure

Answer 6

• the highest arterial pressure during ventricular contraction
• correlates to the first Korotkoff sound heard when taking a sphygmomanometer reading
• typically 120 mmHg in males and 110 mmHg in females

Question 7

diastolic blood pressure

Answer 7

• the lowest arterial pressure during ventricular relaxation
• correlates to the last Korotkoff sound heard when taking a sphygmomanometer reading
• typically 80 mmHg in males and 70mmHg in females

Question 8

Korotkoff sounds

Answer 8

-the various sounds heard when making a blood pressure reading with a sphygmomanometer

Question 9

pulse pressure

Answer 9

-the difference between systolic and diastolic pressure