The traditional and not-so-appealing face of the sphygmomanometer is indeed the lifeline of every doctor’s clinic. To put it simply, the device is used to measure blood pressure. Ever since its inception to the present, the device is widely used for blood pressure measurement not only by doctors but by patients too. The simplest type of sphygmomanometer has a band or rather the cuff, with a bulb and a tube connected to the bulb; functioning as a pump. With the advancement in technology, a lot of innovation has been brought in sphygmomanometer.
However, no matter what version fits your best, the primary function and operation remains quite the
same.
In straightforward terms, blood pressure is the pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of the blood
vessels. The arterial pressure, to be specific, focuses on the pressure being exerted by the blood on the
arterial walls. Though the standard reading is 120/80, it is important to note that no one can have the
same reading even if it is taken at the same time or even on the same day. Blood pressure has many
determinants where the level of activity, time of the day, diseases, stress, and medications play a huge
role. Also, just because someone has a high reading at one point of time doesn’t mean that he/she
is now a patient of hypertension. It takes many tests and recurrence of high reading to establish the
nature of this disease.
Sphygmomanometer makes use of two readings, the systolic and diastolic readings. Systole is the
duration of heart’s contraction when the blood is pumped from the heart into the arteries. Diastole, on
the other hand, is the period when the heart is in the relaxed state and deoxygenated blood is filled in
the heart.
Blood pressure with the aid of sphygmomanometer is normally measured with the patient either sitting
or lying down. The cuff of the device is secured on around the upper arm region. The bell is placed
under the cuff and over the artery, inside of the elbow area. Pressure is created in the cuff with the aid
of the bulb until the blood flow is completely hindered. Then gradually the cuff is deflated. The first
sound of the beat marks your systolic pressure. Now why exactly this happens is because of the sound
that is produced when the pressure of the cuff is less than the blood pressure in the arterial walls.
Subsequently, when the sound subsides, this is your diastolic pressure. The difference between the diastolic
and systolic pressure is the pressure of your pulse. This force is exerted by your heart each time it
contracts.
Nowadays, you get sphygmomanometer that can either be automated or original manual ones.
However, the level of accuracy for each of the different version is debatable. Overall, no matter what
latest version of sphygmomanometer you choose for yourself, it is very important that you learn to
operate it on your own. With each passing day, we see more and more people being diagnosed with
heart and blood pressure related problems. Hence for this, it is essential that you are able to monitor
your blood pressure on your own.