Clinicalskills.net Resources
Measuring blood pressure part
1: equipment
(featuring alternative sphygmomanometers to
mercury)
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pdf of Procedure 
About this procedure:
This procedure describes the equipment used to measure blood pressure. It describes the features of aneroid sphygmomanometers and mercury sphygmomanometers. The author notes that mercury devices are less commonly seen in practice. The procedure describes blood pressure cuffs, how to select the correct size, and how to maintain the equipment used to measure blood pressure, including stethoscopes. (Note that an alternative version of this procedure is also available, which gives greater emphasis to mercury sphygmomanometers.)
Author:
Demonstrated by Richard Hatchett, Principal Lecturer Adult Nursing, London South Bank University.
Last updated:
April 2008; last reviewed May 2009
References:
Hatchett R, Curzio J, Stetson N. (2007) Clinical observation and monitoring devices. In: Hatchett R, Thompson DR (eds). Cardiac Nursing: A Comprehensive Guide, 2nd edn. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, pp. 99-127.
Marieb EN, Hoehn K. (2007) Human Anatomy and Physiology, 7th edn. San Francisco, US: Pearson/Benjamin Cummings.
O'Brien E, Asmar R, Beilin L. (2003) European Society of Hypertension recommendations for conventional, ambulatory and home blood pressure measurement. Journal of Hypertension 21: 821-848. http://www.bhsoc.org/bp_monitors/ESH_BP_rec.pdf
Williams B, Poulter NR, Brown MJ, et al. (2004) The BHS Guidelines
Working Party Guidelines for Management of Hypertension: Report of the
Fourth Working Party of the British Hypertension Society, 2004 –
BHS IV. Journal of Human Hypertension 18:
139-185. www.bhsoc.org/Latest_BHS_management_Guidelines.stm
Key Reading:
British Hypertension Society website: www.bhsoc.org
National Institute for Clinical Excellence. (2004) Hypertension: Management
of Hypertension in Adults in Primary Care. London: NICE. http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG18background.pdf
(Note that an update to this document is available at:
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG34/guidance/pdf/English)
Thomson J, Gillespie A, Curzio J. (2002) Changes in equipment for
blood pressure management. Prof Nurse 17: 350-353.
Skills for Health:
This procedure links to the following
competences on the Skills for Health website:
CHS19 – Undertake physiological measurements
www.skillsforhealth.org.uk
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Related Procedures:
Measuring
blood pressure part 2: procedure (featuring alternative sphygmomanometers
to mercury)
Measuring blood pressure part
3: the patient (featuring alternative sphygmomanometers to mercury)
Measuring blood pressure
part 1: equipment (featuring mercury sphygmomanometers)
Measuring blood pressure
part 2: procedure (using a mercury sphygmomanometer)
Measuring blood pressure
part 3: the patient (using a mercury sphygmomanometer)
Measuring blood
pressure lying/sitting and standing
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pdf of Procedure