21% of candidates passed this question.

This question required the integration and understanding of cardiovascular monitoring with what influences the changes as the arterial pulse moves through the vascular tree.

In general, the waveforms drawn were often of a poor standard, with little attention given to accurately representing the different shapes, correct axis (pressure and timing) and labelling.

The description of the differences was of a better standard however, there were often contradictions between what was drawn and described.

For example, several answers correctly described a delay in the systolic peak seen in the radial artery, but this was not illustrated in the diagram.

The windkessel effect was often correctly mentioned but not further explained to help describe the changes seen in the waveforms.

Interruptions to the arterial traces from the anacrotic and diacrotic notches, the origins of the diacrotic hump, and insuria were often incorrect and poorly explained.

The examiners reported that answer template structure was not a major issue, but a lack of integration of the waveform and translation of that knowledge into a description of the cardiac cycle was often poorly done.