Sphygmomanometer: Measuring Blood Pressure

by Yuvi K - December 21, 2023

Sphygmomanometer: Measuring Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries in the body. It is composed of two values: the systolic blood pressure (when the heart contracts) and the diastolic blood pressure (when the heart relaxes). This measure of blood pressure is important since elevated blood pressure may be an indication of underlying disease or other medical conditions.

Measuring and tracking blood pressure is critical in understanding one’s health status and the risk for certain medical conditions. Sphygmomanometer ( बुखार बार्ममेटर ) is the instrument used to measure blood pressure.

What is a Sphygmomanometer?

A sphygmomanometer (बुखार बार्ममेटर) is a medical device used to measure blood pressure. It is composed of an inflatable cuff that is wrapped around the upper arm and an aneroid manometer (अनैरोइड मॅनोमेटर) that measures the pressure within the cuff.

The aneroid manometers are typically a wrist- or arm-mounted device equipped with a large needle or a digital display that indicates the pressure reading in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

The cuff is inflated with a bulb-and-valve system which rapidly forces the air pressure within the cuff, thus temporarily obstructing the flow of blood in the underlying artery. As the pressure in the cuff is decreased, the patient’s blood pressure is displayed on the needle or digital readout of the aneroid manometer.

Purpose of Sphygmomanometer

Sphygmomanometers (बुखार बार्ममेटर ) are used to measure blood pressure. The cuff, when wrapped around the upper arm, can be inflated to a particular level of pressure using a bulb-and-valve system. As the pressure is slowly reduced, the patient’s blood pressure is displayed by the needle or digital readout of the aneroid manometer.

It is important to note that the sphygmomanometer does not measure absolute values of blood pressure, but rather relative values. It is important to begin with the cuff inflated to a value higher than the patient’s expected or desired blood pressure to get an accurate measurement.

Types of sphygmomanometer

Sphygmomanometers ( बुखार बार्ममेटर) are available in two types—manual and digital. Manual sphygmomanometers (मॅनुअल बुखार बार्ममेटर) usually have an aneroid manometer, a pressure-accurate inflation bulb, a connection tube, and an inflatable cuff. Digital sphygmomanometers (डिजिटल बुखार बार्ममेटर) are more advanced, user-friendly, and have a digital readout of the measurement on a small screen.

Advantages of sphygmomanometer

Sphygmomanometers (बुखार बार्ममेटर) offer a variety of advantages over manual measurement of blood pressure.

Easy to use: digital sphygmomanometers are designed to be user-friendly and easy to use.
More accurate: digital devices are more accurate than manual devices and provide readings that are more reliable than manual readings.
Portability: manual and digital sphygmomanometers are both portable, making it easy to take them with you wherever you go.
Cost effective: digital sphygmomanometers are generally less expensive than other monitoring devices.

Disadvantages of Sphygmomanometer

Although sphygmomanometers (बुखार बार्ममेटर) provide many advantages, there are also some disadvantages.

Inaccurate readings: If the sphygmomanometer is not correctly positioned or the cuff is too small or too large, the readings may be inaccurate.
Inconvenient: Manual sphygmomanometers are inconvenient and require additional items such as a stethoscope to take a reading.
Cost: Digital devices are more expensive than manual devices.

How to use Sphygmomanometer?

To obtain an accurate reading from a sphygmomanometer (बुखार बार्ममेटर), make sure you follow the steps below:

Position the patient’s arm at heart level.
Wrap the cuff around the upper arm.
Inflate the cuff to a level higher than the patient’s expected or desired blood pressure.
Slowly reduce the pressure.
Listen for a pulsating sound in the artery through a stethoscope or handheld auscultation device.
Record the systolic and diastolic pressures when the pulsating sound is heard.
Deflate the cuff.

Conclusion

Sphygmomanometers ( बुखार बार्ममेटर) are important devices used to measure and track one’s blood pressure. They are easy to use, accurate, and cost-effective. However, they are not without disadvantages, such as inaccuracy or lack of convenience. Knowing how to correctly use a sphygmomanometer is important to ensure an accurate reading.