Korotkoff Sounds.

Korotkoff Sounds Definition

Korotkoff sounds are blood flow sounds that healthcare providers observe while taking blood pressure with a sphygmomanometer over the brachial artery in the antecubital fossa. These Korotkoff sounds appear and disappear as the blood pressure cuff is inflated and deflated.

As the heart beats, blood forced through the arteries cause a rise in pressure, called systolic pressure, followed by a decrease in pressure as the heart's ventricles prepare for another beat. This low pressure is called the diastolic pressure.