Nikolai Korotkov

Nikolai Sergeyevich Korotkov (Russian: Николай Сергеевич Коротков; 26 February 1874 – 14 March 1920) was a Russian surgeon and physician, best known for inventing the technique used to listen to the sounds of the blood flow in the arteries, which is a fundamental diagnostic procedure in medicine known as auscultation. This technique is specifically referred to as the Korotkov sounds and is used worldwide to measure blood pressure using a sphygmomanometer.

Biography

Nikolai Korotkov was born in Kursk, Russian Empire. He graduated from the Military Medical Academy in Saint Petersburg in 1898. After graduation, Korotkov worked as a surgeon on naval ships and in military hospitals. His interest in cardiovascular physiology led him to develop the auscultatory method of measuring blood pressure in 1905. This method was a significant improvement over the existing invasive techniques and quickly gained acceptance in the medical community.

Korotkov continued his research and practice in surgery and was appointed as a professor at the Military Medical Academy. Despite his contributions to medicine, his work was not widely recognized in Russia during his lifetime. He died in Petrograd (now Saint Petersburg) in 1920.

Korotkov Sounds

The Korotkov sounds are the sounds that medical practitioners listen for when they are taking blood pressure using a non-invasive method. These sounds are heard through a stethoscope while air is let out from a blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer). The technique involves inflating the cuff to a pressure higher than the patient's systolic blood pressure, then slowly deflating it. The first sound heard represents the systolic blood pressure, and the disappearance of the sound represents the diastolic blood pressure.

Legacy

Korotkov's method of measuring blood pressure is considered one of the most important discoveries in the field of cardiovascular diagnostics. It remains a standard procedure in medical practice today. The World Health Organization (WHO) and various cardiovascular societies worldwide recognize the significance of Korotkov's contribution to medicine. His work has saved countless lives by enabling the early detection and treatment of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.

See Also

• Blood pressure
• Sphygmomanometer
• Auscultation
• Cardiovascular disease

References

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