Lab: Measuring Blood Pressure

Analysis Questions:

1. Compare the systole to the diastole 

Systolic pressure is the number that the blood pressure cuff reads when the ventricles are contracted. Diastolic pressure is the number that is read when the ventricles relax

1. What equipment is used to measure heart rate? To measure blood pressure?

to measure heart rate you use the rate of your pulse. For this, you can use a stethoscope. To measure blood pressure, you use a sphygmomanometer.

1. Why is using your thumb to measure pulse rate not ideal?

Your thumb has its own pulse rate.

1. In your own words, describe how to use a blood pressure cuff.

To use a blood pressure cuff, you put it above your elbow with the tubes running down the length of your arm to you palm. Your hand should be faced up and relaxed. Close the valve on the pump and pump until the needle reaches around 180. Slowly rotate the valve until the needle starts moving at about 2 mmHg per second. Record observations.

	Test 1	Test 2	Average for all students
Pulse rate (radial)	74	68	71
Pulse rate (carotid)	64	58	61
Stethoscope	62	60	61
Average for individual subjects	66.6	62	64.3

	Subject 1	Subject 2
Blood Pressure (test 1)	122/65	115/70
Blood Pressure (test 2)	125/73	121/81