If you are asking for the exact name of the blood pressure machine then the answer is sphygmomanometer. If you are looking for the brand there are several sphygmomanometers available in the market. There are two types of blood pressure machine or sphygmomanometer which you can find in the market but if you are looking for a home blood pressure you can use either of two: the manual type or electronic or digital machine. What is a sphygmomanometer?
Sphygmomanometer sometimes refers to as blood pressure machine which is a piece of equipment
use to evaluate your blood pressure. It has an inflatable cuff that control blood flow and a mercury or a
manometer to gauge the pressure. If you are using a manual sphygmomanometer is must be combined
with a stethoscope. There are two kinds of sphygmomanometer:
Manual sphygmomanometer is in need of a stethoscope for auscultation. It is use by the professional
medical practitioner such as doctors and nurses. When using the stethoscope you can read your blood
pressure through palpation. Manual sphygmomanometer has two types:
• Mercury sphygmomanometer- evaluates blood pressure by observing the movement of
the mercury inside the device. It gives accurate reading and because of it is a high standard
machine it being use for high risk patient.
• Aneroid sphygmomanometer- a dial type of blood pressure machine which is common device
use at home. It needs a calibration when using it but depending on the cuff you are using. It is
safer than the mercury sphygmomanometer.
Digital sphygmomanometer is an electronic device which gives a reading using oscillometric
measurements rather than auscultation. It does not need any training to learn this device because it
is easy and can be used in a noisy surrounding. Systolic and diastolic can detect using pressure sensor
and microprocessor. It also displays a heart rate and useful for people who have preeclampsia. It is
convenient for home blood pressure but it cannot be used as a regular machine compared to the analog
or manual sphygmomanometer.
We know that sphygmomanometer is important when it comes to getting our blood pressure and
because there are two types of sphygmomanometer to choose but in the end any blood pressure
machine has the same result. For example, a manual sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope are
more reliable because it gives accurate reading but it has also a greater risk of giving out an error
or false reading especially if you cannot hear the auscultation from the stethoscope. While digital
sphygmomanometer have a less accuracy and less convenient but it cannot be calibrated to the size of
the cuff.
Regardless, you still need the help of your doctor in order to determine which one is convenient and
easy to use for home monitoring. You can any medical professional to teach you how to use the blood
pressure machine. As long as you know how to use the blood pressure machine you can determine how
your blood pressure and know what to do if you have a high blood pressure.