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Lab Equipment Required: 
Description: Measuring blood pressure using a blood pressure cuff and a stethoscope takes a great deal of practice. To assist students in learning the technique of taking blood pressures with a stethoscope, a pulse plethysmograph will be used to record the appearance and disappearance of pulsatile blood flow in the artery that indicate when the pressures in the cuff are equal to the systolic and diastolic blood pressures. In addition to learning to measure the blood pressure and comparing blood pressures from different subjects, the effects of cuff location, body position, and arm position will be examined.
Goals
1. Students will be able to successfully record pulse waves using a plethysmograph, and blood pressure using a non-invasive blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer). 2. Students will be able to interpret data from these recordings and understand the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure. 3. Students will look at the effects of different cuff and body positions on pulse and blood pressure. 4. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. have successfully calibrated a non-invasive blood pressure cuff. 2. have recorded recognizable pulse and blood pressure waves and be able to calculate the pulse rate and blood pressure of an individual from the recorded data. 3. have been able to interpret the effects of different cuff and body positions on both pulse and blood pressure. 4. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings.
Included with:
Lab Equipment Required: Description: This experiment is composed of a long-term exercise and a series of short-term exercises. The long-term exercise examines the effects of food additives on heart rate, blood pressure and peripheral circulation. The short-term exercises examine the effects of apnea, exercise, and temperature on blood pressure and peripheral circulation.
Goals
1. Students will be able to successfully record pulse waves using a plethysmograph, and blood pressure using a non-invasive blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer). 2. Students will be able to interpret data from these recordings and understand the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure. 3. Students will look at the effects of imposed conditions doing either short- or long- term experiments. The effects of food additives, exercise, apnea and temperature changes may be examined. 4. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. have successfully calibrated a non-invasive blood pressure cuff. 2. have recorded recognizable pulse and blood pressure waves and be able to calculate the pulse rate and blood pressure of an individual from the recorded data. 3. have been able to interpret the effects of different imposed conditions on both pulse and blood pressure. 4. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: In this experiment, we will determine the pulse wave velocity in the artery. In general, pulse wave velocity increases when the cross-sectional area of the artery decreases or the distensibility or compliance of the artery decreases. Some typical pulse wave velocities in normal subjects are: 3 to 5 meters/second in the aorta; 7 to 9 meters/second in the subclavian or femoral artery; 15 to 40 meters/second in small arteries. The artery studied in this experiment shows pulse wave velocities between 8 and 13 meters/second.
Goals
1. Students will be able to successfully record pulse waves using a plethysmograph and a three-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). 2. Students will be able to interpret data from these recordings and understand the amplitudes and values of the ECG waves. 3. Students calculate pulse wave velocity from the ECG and pulse recording data in a resting subject and in subjects after exercise. 4. Students can perform an optional exercise to determine the effect of different temperatures on the pulse wave velocity. 5. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. have successfully recorded pulse waves and an ECG. 2. have been able to calculate the pulse rate and ECG amplitudes of an individual from the recorded data. 3. have been able to calculate the normal resting pulse wave velocity (PWV) and the PWV after hand exercises. 4. been able to calculate the normal resting pulse wave velocity (PWV) and the PWV after the forearm has been exposed to different temperatures (Optional). 5. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings.
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Lab Equipment Required: Description: When a plethysmograph is placed on a subject’s finger, the pulse wave generated at the site of the plethysmograph has two components. The first component in the pulse wave is caused by systolic pressure wave that is directly transmitted from the root of the aorta down the artery to the finger. The second component in the pulse wave is the diastolic component, which is the pressure wave from the lower body reflected back up the aorta. The reflected wave then travels down the arm and to the finger with the plethysmograph. The time difference between the peaks of the two components, known as the reflection time, is inversely proportional to the arterial stiffness.
Goals
1. Students will be able to successfully record pulse waves using a plethysmograph and blood pressure using a non-invasive blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer). 2. Students will be able to interpret data from these recordings and understand the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure. 3. Students will determine the arterial stiffness, vascular tone, and blood pressures of individual subjects. 4. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. have successfully calibrated a non-invasive blood pressure cuff. 2. have recorded recognizable pulse and blood pressure waves and be able to calculate the pulse rate and blood pressure of an individual from the recorded data. 3. interpret the collected data to determine the Student Stiffness Index (SSI) of the subject’s major arteries. 4. determine the Student Reflection Index (SRI), the indicator of vascular tone in the subject’s large vessels. 5. understand systolic and diastolic blood pressure and make a determination as to whether the subject is hypo-, hyper- or normo-tensive. 6. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings.
Included with:
Lab Equipment Required: Description: In this experiment, students will use a simple, non-invasive, pulse-pressure technique, in conjunction with an age-based equation, to determine the cardiac outputs of a subject in different postures and in different stages of recovery from exercise.
Goals
1. Students will be able to successfully record pulse waves using a plethysmograph and blood pressure using a non-invasive blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer). 2. Students will be able to interpret data from these recordings and understand the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure. 3. Students will determine the cardiac output and stroke volume of a subject in various body positions. 4. Students will continue to be successful at using the LabScribe software to move cursors, analyze data, record data to the Journal, and add functions to the Analysis window.
Outcomes
Students who have successfully completed this exercise will: 1. have successfully calibrated a non-invasive blood pressure cuff. 2. have recorded recognizable pulse and blood pressure waves and be able to calculate the cardiac output and stroke volume of an individual from the recorded data. 3. interpret the collected data to determine the systolic and diastolic pressures, and cardiac output of the subject in the reclining, sitting, and standing positions. 4. compare systolic and diastolic pressures, and cardiac output of the subject in the reclining, sitting, and standing positions. 5. understand systolic and diastolic blood pressure and make a determination as to whether the subject is hypo-, hyper- or normo-tensive. 6. compare blood pressures and cardiac output of a subject at various times after exercise. 7. feel comfortable transferring data to the Journal and interpreting that data to answer questions about their recordings.
