Lab: Measuring Blood Pressure

Heart Rate Data Table

	Subject 1 (bpm)	Subject 2 (bpm)	Average for Subjects
Pulse Rate (radial)	80	52	66
Pulse Rate (carotid)	60	68	64
Pulse Rate (stethoscope)	72	64	68
Average of Subject	70.7	61.3	66

Heart Pressure Data Table

	Subject 1	Subject 2
Trial 1: Blood Pressure (systolic/diastolic)	109/84	111/71
Trial 2: Blood Pressure (systolic/diastolic)	111/78	120/80

Question 1

Systolic pressure is the highest pressure measured where you can still feel your heartbeat, while diastolic pressure is the lowest pressure measured while you can still hear your heartbeat.

Question 2

To measure heart rate, you can use your fingers (not your thumb) or a stethoscope. To measure blood pressure, use a syphgmomanometer- also known as a blood pressure cuff- in conjunction with a stethoscope.

Question 3

The thumb has its own pulse, and would throw off the results.

Question 4

After wrapping it around your upper arm, place the stethoscope on the artery and begin to use the air pump to increase the pressure. Once there is no longer a pulse, use the valve to slowly release the pressure. The pressure reading at the beginning of the blood flow noise is systolic pressure, while the reading when the noise dissipates is diastolic pressure.