BLOOD PRESSURE (BP)

MONITORS
Apparatus:

 Cuff - which can be inflated with air.It is an constricting band which goes
around the upper arm of the hand.
 Pressure meter – used to measure the blood pressure level.it consists of dial
and pointer which indicates the reading of blood pressure level.
 Rubber bulb – used to inflate the cuff by means of pumping with the hand.
 Stethoscope – for listening the noise made by the blood as it passes through
the artery.
Model:
Working:

To measure blood pressure, the cuff is placed around the bare and stretched out
upper arm, and inflated until no blood can flow through the brachial artery. Then
the air is slowly let out of the cuff.As soon as the air pressure in the cuff falls
below the systolic blood pressure in the brachial artery, blood will start to flow
through the arm once again. This creates a pounding sound when the arteries
close again and the walls of the vessels hit each other after a heart beat. The
sound can be heard by placing the stethoscope close to the elbow.when you start
to hear this pounding for the first time you can read your systolic blood pressure
off the pressure meter.The pounding sound stops when the air pressure in the
cuff falls below the diastolic blood pressure in the brachial artery. Then the
blood vessels remain open.when the pounding stops, you can read the diastolic
blood pressure off the pressure meter.
 Blood pressure readings are made up of two values:
 Systolic blood pressure is the pressure when the heart beats – while the heart
muscle is contracting (squeezing) and pumping oxygen-rich blood into the
blood vessels.
1. Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure on the blood vessels when the heart
muscle relaxes. The diastolic pressure is always lower than the systolic
pressure.
Blood pressure is measured in units of millimeters of mercury (mmHg). The
readings are always given in pairs, with the upper (systolic) value first, followed
by the lower (diastolic) value.
Types:
 Aneroid BP monitors
 Mercury BP monitors
 Digital BP monitors

Aneroid BP monitors:
It is the normal type which consists of gauge and dail consisting of pointer.It
also consists of a cuff.The cuff goes around the upper arm and the rubber bulb is
squeezed to inflate it by hand.The pointer in the gauge indicates the blood
pressure level.
It is a complex device.It can be easily damaged.
Mercury BP Monitors :
They are easier to use than the aneroid.instead of gauge it consists of
mercury column and cuff and rubber bulb.Initially the rubber bulb is squeezed
by hand so that the cuff is inflated.varying pressures cause different levels of
mercury in the column.
It is used in clinics and laboratory.
Digital BP Monitors :
They are easier to use than all other types.It consists of digital display
where the BP level displays in that screen.here the inflation of cuff is
automatic.
Body movements or irregular heart rate can affect its accuracy.
It is more expensive.