What Are Korotkoff Sounds?
Korotkoff sounds are distinctive sounds that can be distinguished when a blood pressure cuff is applied and adjusted. They were first described in 1905 by Russian physician Nikolai Korotkoff. Listening for these sounds with a stethoscope while using a blood pressure cuff allows a health practitioner to take a blood pressure reading. Many people are familiar with the process of manually taking blood pressure in clinical settings, as blood pressure is a vital sign commonly tested at doctor visits.
Korotkoff sounds are distinctive sounds that can be distinguished when a blood pressure cuff is applied and adjusted. They were first described in 1905 by Russian physician Nikolai Korotkoff. Listening for these sounds with a stethoscope while using a blood pressure cuff allows a health practitioner to take a blood pressure reading. Many people are familiar with the process of manually taking blood pressure in clinical settings, as blood pressure is a vital sign commonly tested at doctor visits. Under normal conditions, the movement of blood through the artery in the arm is not audible. This is because the flow of blood is not turbulent. In people with artery disease, sounds can be heard as the flow is disrupted. When a blood pressure cuff is applied, it disrupts the flow of blood in a stable and predictable fashion, and this can be used to generate information about the patient’s blood pressure.
