1. What is blood pressure? What are the factors directly affecting the blood pressure?

- blood pressure is the pressure of circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels. Most of this
pressure is due to work done by the heart by pumping blood through the circulatory system. Used
without further specification, “blood pressure” usually refers to the pressure in large arteries of the
systemic circulation. Factors that are affecting the blood pressure are resistance, blood viscosity, and
blood vessel diameter.

2. Why do we need a stethoscope in blood pressure measurement? Explain the occurrence of

sounds of Korotkoff

- because when taking blood pressure, a stethoscope is positioned to listen to blood flow turbulence.
Korotkoff are produced underneath the distal half of the blood pressure cuff. The sounds appear
when cuff pressures are between systolic and diastolic blood pressure, because the underlying
artery is collapsing completely and then reopening with each heartbeat.

3. Compare the heart sounds according to their loudness, pitch, and duration

- the heart sounds detected by auscultation are described as the first, second, third and fourth
sounds. S1 is the loudest of the normal heart sounds. It is also the longest in duration. S2 is a shorter,
higher pitched sound. The third heat sound (S3), if audible, follows S2 and is associated with early
ventricular filling.

4. How do venous pressures compare to arterial pressures?

- venous pressure is the vascular pressure in a vein or the atria of the heart, and is much lower than
arterial pressure. Furthermore, arterial pressure is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon
the walls of blood vessels.

5. Interpret 140/90

- it still belong to a normal blood pressure but it’s a little higher than it should be, a person with this
kind of blood pressure should try to lower it, and if this measurement will continue over a week a
person may have high blood pressure (hypertension).