Accuracy of the advanced trauma life support guidelines for predicting systolic blood pressure using carotid, femoral, and radial pulses: observational study

• Published in: BMJ Vol. 321; no. 7262; pp. 673 - 674
• Main Authors: Deakin, Charles D, Low, J Lorraine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London British Medical Journal Publishing Group 16.09.2000; British Medical Association; BMJ Publishing Group LTD; British Medical Journal
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure; Carotid Arteries - physiopathology; Carotid artery injuries; Emergency and intensive cardiocirculatory care. Cardiogenic shock. Coronary intensive care; Estimate reliability; Femoral Artery - physiopathology; Guidelines as Topic; Humans; Intensive care medicine; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Palpation; Patients; Pressure pulses; Pulse; Radial Artery - physiopathology; Reference Values; Sensitivity and Specificity; Shock - physiopathology; Systole; Systolic blood pressure; Human; Systolic pressure; Femoral artery; Intensive care; Hypovolemia; Cardiovascular disease; Arterial pulse; Handbook; Trauma; Carotid; Arterial pressure; Hemodynamics; Predictive factor; Radial artery; Monitoring

The advanced trauma life support course teaches that if only the patient's carotid pulse is palpable, the systolic blood pressure is 60-70 mm Hg; if carotid and femoral pulses are palpable, the systolic blood pressure is 70-80 mm Hg; and if the radial pulse is also palpable, the systolic blood...