Why we do the technique:
In your body, high blood pressure is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is important to monitor. Blood pressure is a measure of how much the blood is pushing against the blood vessels. Your blood and blood vessels have similar properties to water running through a garden hose. The faster the water moves through the hose the higher the pressure. This technique is used to determine how smoothly the blood flows through the vessels.
How we do the technique:
We use a pressure sensitive instrument, called a tonometer, to record the pulse in an artery in your neck (carotid artery). We also record a blood pressure in your arm and leg. We take measurements between the tonometer and blood pressure cuffs to determine the distance between them. This allows us to calculate the velocity of the blood, or how long it takes the blood to move from your neck to your leg.
What we can learn:
This technique tells us how fast your blood is moving between two points in your body and how hard it is pushing against your blood vessels.
