Auscultatory and Sphygmomanographic Measurement of Blood Pressure. An Innovation of a Sphygmoscopy Cuff

The sphygmoscophy cuff and the auscultatory Korotkoff sequenceare stillused to measure blood pressure, despite their intrinsic limitations. Here it is describing a new method in which two original cuff modifications to obtain this parameter are implemented: 1) an original elastic capsule is placed on the cuff and it is connected to a clinical stethoscope to obtain the BP (auscultatory method, AM). 2) A rubber camera (5 x 12 cm) is added in the lower part of the cuff connected to a previous designed sphygmomanograff, to get the distal braquial pulse. The proximal pulse is registered simultaneously and the transcompression appearance of first delay pulse and the disappearance of pulse delay are signs of the systolic (SP) and diastolic (DP) blood pressure respectively (sphygmomanographic method, (SM). Beth methods were used in 56 patients with systemic hypertension who were divided in two groups: A (n=33) and B(n=23), according to blood pressure above or below140 mmHg. Systolicand diastolic measurements were higher in group A using SM vs AM (systolic: 165±27 vs 150±19, p<0.000), diastolic: 96.1 vs 78.1, p<0.000, respectively, Systolic measurement with both methods were similar in group B patients (133±17 vs 128±14, p<0.13). Differences in the measurements, especially in patients with high pressure, are due to inconsistencies of the sounds. The modified cuff has good perspectives for its future use.