description Nikolai Korotkov Overview
Nikolai Sergeyevich Korotkov (1874–1920) was a Russian surgeon who graduated from the Imperial Military Medical Academy in Saint Petersburg. In 1905 he described the auscultatory sounds heard during blood pressure measurement using a Riva-Rocci cuff and stethoscope, now known as Korotkoff sounds. This technique enabled accurate, non-invasive measurement of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The auscultatory method he described remains the standard clinical procedure used worldwide.
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Nikolai Korotkov ranks #121 of 150 in the Physician ranking, behind Gregg Semenza, ahead of Anthony Fauci.
help Nikolai Korotkov FAQ
What are Korotkov sounds?
Korotkov sounds are the sounds heard through a stethoscope as pressure is released from an inflated blood-pressure cuff. Their appearance and disappearance are used to estimate systolic and diastolic pressure.
How did Nikolai Korotkov change blood-pressure measurement?
In 1905, Korotkov described an auscultatory method that combined a Riva-Rocci cuff with listening over an artery. This made it possible to determine both upper and lower arterial-pressure values in routine clinical practice.
Was Nikolai Korotkov a cardiologist?
No, Korotkov was a Russian surgeon trained at the Imperial Military Medical Academy in Saint Petersburg. His surgical experience with blood vessels helped lead to his observation of the sounds now bearing his name.
Are Korotkov sounds still used with modern blood-pressure cuffs?
Yes, clinicians still use them when taking manual blood-pressure readings with a cuff and stethoscope. Automated monitors often use oscillometric sensing instead, so they do not literally listen for the five Korotkov phases.
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