There are different types of sphygmomanometers and different ways of reading the values. Nowadays, we mainly use two kinds of sphygmomanometers: electronic sphygmomanometers and mercury column sphygmomanometers.
1. Electronic sphygmomanometer: easy to operate, suitable for home use. Load the battery, tie the cuff, press the button to measure automatically. The result of the measurement will be directly displayed on the screen, which is more intuitive. It will automatically report the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate.
2. Mercury column sphygmomanometer: the cuff should be tied to the patient’s elbow two centimeters above the elbow socket, the degree of elasticity should be moderate, so that the patient’s upper arm and the heart and sphygmomanometer is at the same level, in the measurement of blood pressure before the quiet rest for five minutes. The cuff is inflated while auscultation is performed, and if the sound of the brachial artery beat disappears on auscultation, the pressure is continued upward by 30 mm Hg.
Then deflate the cuff at a constant rate. The first sound you hear is systolic pressure, and when the sound disappears, it is diastolic pressure, which is what we call high and low pressure. The reading should be taken with the eye level on the mercury surface, not looking down.
No matter what kind of sphygmomanometer, if the measurement value is high, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.