Can diastolic pressure be determined from finger pulse recording?

• A. Yes, with appropriate calibration
• B. No, finger pulse lack a clear diastolic indicator
• C. Only in pediatric patients
• D. Only when the patient is at rest

Answer: (B)

Diastolic pressure is the pressure in the arteries when the heart is relaxed, and it relies on a clear, defined trough in the arterial pressure waveform. A finger pulse recording, such as a photoplethysmography signal from the fingertip, reflects microvascular blood volume changes and is highly damped by the peripheral circulation. This damped waveform often does not show a distinct diastolic trough, so the exact low-pressure value in the central arteries isn’t reliably recoverable from the finger signal alone. Calibration or advanced algorithms can help estimate overall blood pressure or arterial pressure in some devices, but the finger pulse by itself does not provide a dependable diastolic measurement.