Texas Medical Assistant Certification Practice Test

As a blood pressure cuff is deflated, the first tapping sound heard is the __________ pressure.

1. mean arterial

2. systolic

3. diastolic

4. pulse

The correct answer is: systolic

The first tapping sound heard as a blood pressure cuff is being deflated indicates the systolic pressure. This sound occurs when the pressure in the cuff is released to the point where it matches the arterial pressure during the contraction phase of the heart (systole). When the blood begins to flow through the artery during systole after the cuff is deflated, it creates a sound that can be detected with a stethoscope, often referred to as the Korotkoff sounds. The first of these sounds marks the beginning of the systolic pressure reading. In contrast, the diastolic pressure, which represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest between beats, is identified by the last sound heard before silence occurs. The mean arterial pressure is a different calculation that takes into account both systolic and diastolic pressures, and the pulse does not directly relate to the sounds heard during blood pressure measurement. Therefore, recognizing that the first sound correlates with systolic pressure is essential for accurate blood pressure assessment.