The sphygmomanometer is used to read our blood pressure. Many of us are aware of this medical machine because we get our blood pressure checked at the doctor’s office. This is important to us because it can let us know of any heart complications such as high blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks, or kidney disease. All of these are preventable if caught in time with a doctor’s supervision and medication.
Although many of us have seen this device there is a process to using this medical machine because there are different parts to this machine. For example there is an inflatable cuff, and along with the cuff there is a bladder. There is also a release valve, a manometer, and a bulb. Aside from these instruments we also need a stethoscope. …show more content…
Although today there are modern versions of this machine the concept is similar. The sphygmomanometer has an open end manometer that is used to measure the gauge pressure of the actual cuff. As we squeeze the bulb and inflate the cuff the blood flow stops, and we hear no sound in the stethoscope. The gauge should read 30 to 40 mmHg above the person 's normal BP reading. If this value is unknown you can inflate the cuff to 160 - 180 mmHg. The goal is for the cuff to reach an equilibrium, now the stethoscope kicks in and is used to listen for the blood flow at its highest point, and the lowest point. When the blood pressure is its highest is when we get the systolic blood pressure is measured. When the blood pressure is at its lowest the diastolic pressure is measured The American Heart Association recommends that the blood pressure should fall between 2 - 3 mmHg per second, anything faster is likely to result in an inaccurate measurement. When pressing the bulb this increases the pressure on the cuff. The increase pressure of the cuff restricts the artery which slows down our blood pressure. As we release the valve the blood pressure decreases. The American Heart Association recommends taking a reading with both arms so that both the readings can be averaged. Checking the pressure for accuracy we should wait about five minutes between each readings. Typically, blood pressure is higher in the mornings and lower in the
Although many of us have seen this device there is a process to using this medical machine because there are different parts to this machine. For example there is an inflatable cuff, and along with the cuff there is a bladder. There is also a release valve, a manometer, and a bulb. Aside from these instruments we also need a stethoscope. …show more content…
Although today there are modern versions of this machine the concept is similar. The sphygmomanometer has an open end manometer that is used to measure the gauge pressure of the actual cuff. As we squeeze the bulb and inflate the cuff the blood flow stops, and we hear no sound in the stethoscope. The gauge should read 30 to 40 mmHg above the person 's normal BP reading. If this value is unknown you can inflate the cuff to 160 - 180 mmHg. The goal is for the cuff to reach an equilibrium, now the stethoscope kicks in and is used to listen for the blood flow at its highest point, and the lowest point. When the blood pressure is its highest is when we get the systolic blood pressure is measured. When the blood pressure is at its lowest the diastolic pressure is measured The American Heart Association recommends that the blood pressure should fall between 2 - 3 mmHg per second, anything faster is likely to result in an inaccurate measurement. When pressing the bulb this increases the pressure on the cuff. The increase pressure of the cuff restricts the artery which slows down our blood pressure. As we release the valve the blood pressure decreases. The American Heart Association recommends taking a reading with both arms so that both the readings can be averaged. Checking the pressure for accuracy we should wait about five minutes between each readings. Typically, blood pressure is higher in the mornings and lower in the