Observations on Vascular Sounds: The "Pistol-Shot" Sound and the Korotkoff Sound

Abstract

The similarity between spontaneous "pistol-shot" sounds heard over large vessels and the Korotkoff sounds heard distal to a partially inflated blood pressure cuff suggests that a similar mechanism is responsible for their occurrence. Simultaneous records of intravascular pressures and of the sounds demonstrate that the sounds generally precede the major rise in intravascular pressure. These observations cannot be explained by the existing theories of sound production. A possible mechanism based on rapid changes in flow pattern is advanced.