Question

Which of the following describes a blood pressure reading?

Answer 1

Answer:

The blood pressure reading corresponds to the pressures systolic / diasoltic (option d).

Explanation:

When the blood pressure measurement is made —with the use of a sphygmomanometer— it shows the pressure in the arteries at a precise moment of the heart's activity. The result can be read in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and are:

1. A first reading corresponds to the transmission of the pressure exerted by the heartbeat, called systolic pressure.  
2. The second reading is always a lower value, and corresponds to the blood pressure between heartbeats, or diastolic pressure.

These readings are obtained by compressing the territory of an artery with a bracelet and then decompressing it to perceive the turbulent flow that follows decompression. This turbulent flow can be perceived by auscultation, which is called Korotkoff's sounds.

Normal systolic pressure in a young adult is in the range of 100 to 135 mmHg, while the diastolic is between 60 and 85 mmHg.

The other alternatives are not correct:

    a- Diastolic / systolic . The first reading always corresponds to the systolic pressure.

    b- Good pressure / bad pressure . It identifies more blood pressure disturbances than blood pressure readings.

    c- Upper / lower . In medicine, the correct blood pressure reading is systolic/diastolic, so saying upper/lower or maximum/minimum is an error.