Certified Medical Assistant (CMA AAMA)Clinical Workflow and Patient IntakeHard
A medical assistant is auscultating a patient's blood pressure and notes that the Korotkoff sounds disappear at 168 mmHg, then reappear at 140 mmHg, and continue until finally disappearing at 80 mmHg. This phenomenon is known as:
- APulsus paradoxus
- BAuscultatory gap
- CWhite coat hypertension
- DPulse pressure widening
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Auscultatory gap
An auscultatory gap is a temporary disappearance of Korotkoff sounds during blood pressure measurement, typically occurring in the systolic range, which can cause underestimation of systolic pressure if the cuff is not inflated high enough initially.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Pulsus paradoxus is an exaggerated drop in blood pressure during inspiration, unrelated to Korotkoff sound gaps.
- C. White coat hypertension refers to elevated readings due to anxiety in clinical settings, not a sound gap.
- D. Pulse pressure widening refers to an increased difference between systolic and diastolic values, not a gap in sounds.
Auscultatory Gap
A temporary disappearance of Korotkoff sounds during blood pressure measurement, occurring between the true systolic and diastolic pressures, common in patients with hypertension.
- Can cause falsely low systolic reading if cuff isn't inflated high enough
- More common in patients with hypertension or arterial stiffness
- Palpate radial pulse first to estimate true systolic pressure and avoid missing it
Memory trick: Gap = the sound goes silent then returns, like a radio losing signal briefly.