The legalities of a blood pressure

Specialties CCU

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We have a cardiologist who absolutely insists that it is impossible for a person to have a distolic blood pressure

I can handle the tirade (he just looks like an idiot), and we've written a policy to have us take one blood pressure by hand q 4 hours if we get a NIBP

My question is about his legal point. I know d**n well that a person can be alive with a diastolic that low (I've seen plenty). What can I say in response to his question, "How would you defend yourself in court?"

Are you sure he isn't referring to the MAP? While it is possible to be alive with a MAP of 45, that is quite low, however, I have seen diastolics below 45 before with a patient awake, alert and coherant.

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I'd tell him that a nephrologist will be my expert witness.

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Originally posted by kabarnes

Are you sure he isn't referring to the MAP? While it is possible to be alive with a MAP of 45, that is quite low, however, I have seen diastolics below 45 before with a patient awake, alert and coherant.

Nope. Quite sure he's talking about the DBP.

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