What outcome may be documented if an auscultatory gap is not heard during a blood pressure reading?

When performing a blood pressure reading, the absence of an auscultatory gap indicates that the sounds associated with the blood pressure measurement are clearly audible throughout the entire range of pressure applied. An auscultatory gap occurs when there is a silent period during the phases of Korotkoff sounds, often leading to inaccuracies in readings if not recognized.

In this context, if an auscultatory gap is not detected, it suggests that the auscultation method is accurately capturing the systolic and diastolic pressures without interruption. This can lead to scenarios where the diastolic pressure may be perceived as elevated if the sounds continue past what would be expected in a typical reading without a gap.

This correlates with noting a potential for a high diastolic or low systolic reading: if the diastolic pressure is recorded without an issue and the systolic pressure might be misinterpreted, the resultant reading could indicate discrepancies in the actual pressures being measured. The absence of the auscultatory gap contributes to the reliability of the blood pressure measurement itself.