Pierre Charles Édouard Potain (19 July 1825 – 5 January 1901) was a French cardiologist born in Paris.
In 1853 he earned his doctorate from the University of Paris, and later worked as an assistant to Jules Baillarger (1809-1890) at the mental asylum in Ivry-sur-Seine.
In 1856 he began work in the clinic of Jean-Baptiste Bouillaud (1796-1881), whom Potain regarded as a major influence to his career.
Afterwards, he worked in various hospitals in Paris, including the HĂ´pital Saint-Antoine and HĂ´pital Necker.
Potain made several contributions in his research of cardiovascular disease, and conducted various tests in the field of cardiology.
These tests included analysis of jugular venous waves, heart gallop rhythm research, blood pressure testing and auscultatory analysis.
In 1889 he was credited for making modifications to the sphygmomanometer, a device used to measure blood pressure that had been recently invented by Samuel Siegfried Carl von Basch (1837-1905).
He also designed a pleural suction apparatus and made improvements to the Malassez hemocytometer.
The term "Potain's sign" is an extension of percussion dullness over the aortic arch from the manubrium to the third costal cartilage on the right-hand side of the body.