BP question

[Blackheartednurse]

I know that my question my sound stupid but lately I have been having hard time to establish the reading of the systolic BP, I was wondering how other establish their systolic number-do you wait until the beat gets to the strongest and loudest and record it as the correct systolic sound or you you record that first quiet gradually getting stronger ,the first one you hear right away but it just getting lound as the real systolic BP sound?

[klone, MSN, RN]

I've always done it as the first sound I hear.

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

I record the first clear beat I hear as the systolic.

[Blackheartednurse]

I record the first clear beat I hear as the systolic.

The clear one is usually the strongest one?

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

The clear one is usually the strongest one?

You know how the sound is a bit muffled at first, but you can still decipher the beat? That is the one I record. Not the strongest one. If you record the strongest one, you will have a false low systolic. Does that make sense?

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

BTW, what kind of steth do you have?

[systoly]

You could palpate for radial pulse at the same time and compare auscultated to palpated.

[leslie :-D]

the very first beat you hear (whether strong or muffled), is the systolic.

as with kortotkoff sounds, it is still the very first beat...even if there silence and resumption of beats.

always...first beat.

leslie

[BOOYARN]

first one buddy, even if you can bearly hear it ...that ur systolic!!!! FIRST one!!!

[mentalhealthRN]

If you are having trouble if could be your stethoscope--what kind do you have?