Blood Pressure Discrepancies

[kmartin]

I am looking for an answer to these questions and to find out if I can do anything to improve this intermittent problem:

1. Why are the Karotkoff sounds sometimes about 20 below the BP reading on the HUD?

2. Even with the brachial pulse turned 'off', why are the Karotkoff sounds sometimes heard all the way down to 0?

I have had several questions about this from other customers as well so I would appreciate feedback to share with everyone. Kim

[kev]

Hi Kim, Hope all is well.

Are you referring to the ABP on the heads up display? If so then it is normal for the art pressure to be different than the NIBP. I am in the office this week (sniff sniff- everyone else on holidays) So I will check out the Korotkoff sounds on mine and see if there is a difference

Happy Holidays!

Kevin King
Director, Simulation Programs, ORNGE
Adjunct Faculty METI

[RJohann]

We have the same issues with our HPS. Please share the answers...

Randy Johann
randall_johann@trihealth.com

[kmartin]

Kevin,
It came up again when students were taking BP for an assessment last PM... It is not HUD vs. NIBP. The problems is between the HUD and the Karotkoff sounds when taking a manual blood pressure. Let me explain: I manipulated various settings under the Cardiovascular Systemic tab (see METI programming tips for BP). I did this while the simulator was in operation (on the fly). The HUD showed the appropriate change. The waveform display showed the appropriate increase in BP but when we took the BP manually the karotkoff sounds were way off the mark. Specifically, BP was supposed to read 210/100 but the audible BP was 116/60. When BP was supposed to be 100/70 the audible BP was 60/--. Sometimes students can hear the sound the whole way to 0 but I repeated these blood pressures and can tell the difference in the karotkoff sounds--these were the actual numbers. That's what discrepancy I've been wondering about. KM

[airresq]

Kim,
My students have a similar issue where they can usually pick up the systolic reading quite easily and they are usually within 10 or so the issue we find is with the diastolic the same tone is heard all the way down to 0. I'll be in the office Monday and free after 130 give me aring if you wish.

[iansteel]

hi

did anyone come up with a solution for this descrepency?.

[pwolf]

Hi All,
Patrick Wolf, Clinical Educator. To answer your questions please remember you have a -/+ of 5 points within the system.
However Kim your reading was obviously way off. The way this is tested is the following.
1) Start your ECS and just let run in normal state
2) Leave the Left Brac Pulse on
3) Place your finger over Left Brac Pulse
4) Pump your BP cuff up to 118-123. If you can no longer feel the pulse then your system is working like it should be, sounds and all.
5) If you continue to feel the pulse after -/+ 5 points then your ECS has an issue, electrical board etc...

Try that and let me know.

Thanks
P.Wolf

[kianacao]

Sounds like it may be calibration issue...