Which device is used to measure blood pressure?

Which device is used to measure blood pressure?

• A. Stethoscope
• B. Thermometer
• C. Sphygmomanometer
• D. Otoscope

Answer: (C)

Measuring blood pressure requires a cuff and a device that can read the pressure in the artery. The instrument that provides the cuff pressure and a gauge to read it is the sphygmomanometer. In manual measurements, you inflate the cuff and slowly release air while listening with a stethoscope for Korotkoff sounds; the first sound marks systolic pressure, and the point where the sounds disappear marks diastolic pressure. Digital devices use an automatic method to estimate the pressure without auscultation. The stethoscope helps hear the sounds but doesn’t measure pressure by itself, while a thermometer measures temperature and an otoscope examines the ear. So the tool used to measure blood pressure is the sphygmomanometer.

Measuring blood pressure requires a cuff and a device that can read the pressure in the artery. The instrument that provides the cuff pressure and a gauge to read it is the sphygmomanometer. In manual measurements, you inflate the cuff and slowly release air while listening with a stethoscope for Korotkoff sounds; the first sound marks systolic pressure, and the point where the sounds disappear marks diastolic pressure. Digital devices use an automatic method to estimate the pressure without auscultation. The stethoscope helps hear the sounds but doesn’t measure pressure by itself, while a thermometer measures temperature and an otoscope examines the ear. So the tool used to measure blood pressure is the sphygmomanometer.