Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Sites for measuring blood pressure01:21

Sites for measuring blood pressure

Blood pressure measurement is a fundamental clinical procedure, providing crucial data for assessing cardiovascular health. Among the various sites for this measurement, the brachial and popliteal arteries are predominantly utilized due to their accessibility and the reliability of their readings. This lesson delves into the anatomical significance, methodology, and considerations of measuring blood pressure at these locations.
The Brachial Artery: Primary Site for Blood Pressure Measurement
Special considerations while measuring pulse01:13

Special considerations while measuring pulse

Assessing a patient's pulse is a fundamental skill in healthcare, but certain situations require special attention:
Special considerations while measuring blood pressure01:28

Special considerations while measuring blood pressure

When assessing blood pressure (BP), healthcare professionals must consider various factors and potential unexpected outcomes to ensure accurate readings and provide proper patient care. Adhering to these guidelines is essential to achieving the most reliable results.
Monitoring Both Arms:
Monitoring BP in both arms during the initial assessment is advisable, as the systolic value may differ by five to ten mm Hg between arms. For subsequent BP assessments, use the arm with the higher reading.
Pre-Procedural Guidelines for Assessing Blood Pressure01:10

Pre-Procedural Guidelines for Assessing Blood Pressure

Accurate blood pressure assessment is crucial for diagnosing and managing various health conditions. To ensure the reliability of these measurements, healthcare professionals must adhere to standardized pre-procedural guidelines. These guidelines enhance patient safety and improve the overall quality of healthcare. The following steps are essential for obtaining accurate and consistent blood pressure readings, from using the appropriate tools to ensuring effective communication with the patient.
Measurement of Blood Pressure01:17

Measurement of Blood Pressure

Assessing blood pressure is a standard procedure executed in virtually all medical environments. The method utilized today was established over a hundred years ago by an innovative Russian doctor, Dr. Nikolai Korotkoff. The soft ticking noise, known as Korotkoff sounds, heard while taking blood pressure readings results from turbulent blood flow within the vessels. The apparatus required for this procedure includes a sphygmomanometer, a blood pressure cuff attached to a gauge, and a stethoscope.
Pulse01:16

Pulse

When the heart pumps blood out, arterial elastic fibers play a crucial role in sustaining a high-pressure gradient. They expand to accommodate the received blood and then recoil - a process known as the pulse that can be either manually palpated or electronically quantified. Despite a reduction in its effect with increased distance from the heart, elements of the pulse's systolic and diastolic components persist, observable even at the arteriole level.
The pulse serves as a clinical indicator...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Higher versus Routine Intraoperative Blood Pressure Targets in Noncardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis with Trial Sequential Analysis of Randomized Trials.

Anesthesiology·2026
Same author

Cryopreservation and other preservation approaches for animal models workshop session I: Invertebrate models in biomedical research.

Cryobiology·2026
Same author

Intraoperative Adverse Events, Waste, and Costs Before and After Implementation of Intravenous Fluid Conservation During a National Shortage.

Anesthesia and analgesia·2026
Same author

A deep learning model for automated identification of age-related macular degeneration atrophy.

Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie·2026
Same author

Closed-loop versus manual vasopressor titration for blood pressure control in surgical and critically ill patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials.

Journal of clinical anesthesia·2026
Same author

Neuronal Cell Death Modalities and Protective Mechanisms Induced By Sevoflurane: A Narrative Review.

Anesthesia and analgesia·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

Continuous Venous-Arterial Doppler Ultrasound During a Preload Challenge
09:32

Continuous Venous-Arterial Doppler Ultrasound During a Preload Challenge

Published on: January 20, 2023

Visual estimation of pulse pressure variation is not reliable: a randomized simulation study.

Joseph Rinehart1, Tanzeem Islam, Rob Boud

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Care, University of California Irvine, Orange, CA 92868, USA. jrinehar@uci.edu

Journal of Clinical Monitoring and Computing
|April 12, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Visual estimation of pulse pressure variation (PPV) is inaccurate. This study found significant errors and low accuracy when practitioners "eyeballed" PPV from arterial waveforms, impacting its use in clinical practice.

More Related Videos

Software for Analysis of Heart Rate and Blood Pressure Time-series Data from the Valsalva Maneuver
14:28

Software for Analysis of Heart Rate and Blood Pressure Time-series Data from the Valsalva Maneuver

Published on: June 27, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 23, 2026

Continuous Venous-Arterial Doppler Ultrasound During a Preload Challenge
09:32

Continuous Venous-Arterial Doppler Ultrasound During a Preload Challenge

Published on: January 20, 2023

Software for Analysis of Heart Rate and Blood Pressure Time-series Data from the Valsalva Maneuver
14:28

Software for Analysis of Heart Rate and Blood Pressure Time-series Data from the Valsalva Maneuver

Published on: June 27, 2025

Area of Science:

  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Anesthesiology
  • Hemodynamics Monitoring

Background:

  • Pulse pressure variation (PPV) is a hemodynamic parameter used in fluid management.
  • Current practice often relies on visual estimation ('eyeballing') of PPV from arterial waveforms.
  • The accuracy of visual PPV estimation and its impact on research (e.g., blinding) are unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the accuracy of visually estimating pulse pressure variation (PPV).
  • To determine if visual PPV estimation is reliable for clinical decision-making and research.

Main Methods:

  • A PC-based simulator presented arterial pressure waveforms with known PPV values (1-30%) at varying sweep speeds (6.25, 12.5, 25 mm/s).
  • Twenty residents and 19 attendings visually estimated PPV from these waveforms.
  • Statistical analysis assessed the relationship between true PPV and visually estimated PPV.

Main Results:

  • A weak but significant correlation (r² = 0.22) was found between true and visually estimated PPV.
  • Mean percent error in visual estimation was high (122%), with greater error at faster sweep speeds.
  • Correct classification of PPV response groups was only 65%, decreasing with faster sweep speeds.

Conclusions:

  • Visual estimation ('eyeballing') of pulse pressure variation from arterial waveforms is inaccurate.
  • The inaccuracy limits the reliability of PPV for guiding goal-directed fluid therapy.
  • This method's unreliability may compromise blinding in clinical trials assessing PPV.