00:01
So now, let's look at
how we monitor
our circulatory efficiency.
00:05
Normally, we look at vital signs
such as
the pulse,
the blood pressure,
as well as
the respiratory rate,
and the body temperature.
00:15
In order to take a pulse,
we normally take the radial pulse,
which is taken in the wrist.
00:21
But there are also other
clinically important pulse points,
such as in the neck,
or behind the leg.
00:29
We also have points in our bodies
known as pressure points.
00:34
These are areas where the arteries
are going to be close
to the body surface.
00:38
And in the case of a
severe hemorrhage
can be compressed
in order to stop blood flow
and blood loss.
00:47
The different pulse points
that we can use include:
at the temple, the facial,
and common carotid artery.
00:56
We can also take a pulse
at the brachial artery
or the femoral artery.
01:01
At the back of the leg,
we can also find a pulse
at the popliteal artery
and at the bottom
toward our feet,
we can check our pulse
at the posterior tibial
and dorsalis pedis artery.
01:15
So how do we measure
the blood pressure?
Systemic arterial blood pressure
is measured indirectly
by auscultatory methods
using a sphygmomanometer
or what you would think of
as a blood pressure cuff.
01:30
We wrap the cuff around the arm
superior to the elbow.
01:35
From there,
we increase the pressure
in the cuff
until it exceeds
the systolic pressure
in the brachial artery.
01:43
The pressure is then
released slowly,
and we listen for sounds known as
Korotkoff sounds
with a stethoscope.
01:52
So since we normally have a
systolic pressure of 120 mm Hg
we would inrease the pressure
in the cuff
to go just above 120.
02:05
And then we would slowly
release that pressure
while listening to
the brachial artery
with the stethoscope.
02:13
The pressure when sounds first occur
is going to be
when blood first starts to spurt
through the artery.
02:21
The second pressure
or the diastolic pressure
is normally going to be
less than 80 mm Hg.
02:29
The pressure
when the sound disappears
is going to be our
diastolic pressure
because now the artery
is no longer constricted,
blood is flowing freely
and we can no longer hear it
with the stethoscope.