Position yourself at the bedside in such a way to simultaneously monitor the respiratory movements of
the patient and the column of the sphygmomanometer.
Don’t ask the patient to breathe too vigorously, since this might generate an abnormal pulsus paradoxus
even in the normal subject. Fully inflate the blood pressure cuff until you achieve auscultatory silence.
Start deflating the cuff very slowly, while at the same time paying attention to both chest and abdominal
wall expansions. As soon as you hear the first Korotkoff sounds, stop deflating the cuff, and record the systolic pressure reading. You will notice that sounds are only heard in exhalation.
Restart deflating the cuff, very slowly, until you hear Korotkoff sounds both in inspiration and expiration.
Record the second systolic blood pressure reading.
The difference between the two systolic recordings, in mmHg, is the pulsus paradoxus.
the patient and the column of the sphygmomanometer.
Don’t ask the patient to breathe too vigorously, since this might generate an abnormal pulsus paradoxus
even in the normal subject. Fully inflate the blood pressure cuff until you achieve auscultatory silence.
Start deflating the cuff very slowly, while at the same time paying attention to both chest and abdominal
wall expansions. As soon as you hear the first Korotkoff sounds, stop deflating the cuff, and record the systolic pressure reading. You will notice that sounds are only heard in exhalation.
Restart deflating the cuff, very slowly, until you hear Korotkoff sounds both in inspiration and expiration.
Record the second systolic blood pressure reading.
The difference between the two systolic recordings, in mmHg, is the pulsus paradoxus.