A comparison of sphygmomanometric and scillometric methods of blood pressure measurements in adult in-patients

Abstract

The study compared two non-invasive methods of blood pressure measurements used in the anaesthetic management of patients, the conventional sphygmomanometric and the oscillometric methods. One hundred adult in-patients were involved, and 400 blood pressure measurements were done with the two devices. The sphygmomanometric measurements were higher in systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure values. Correlation coefficient values between the two methods were r = 0.97, 0.81, 0.95 for systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressures respectively, (p< 0.05). We conclude that there is a statistically significant difference in haemodynamic values determined by the two devices. This difference is however, not clinically significant to warrant a recommendation of adjustment when comparing values determined by the two devices.

Keywords: blood pressure measurement, sphygmomanometer, oscillometer, comparison

Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice Vol. 8(2) 2005: 86-89