OBJECTIVE: Alternatives to the traditional, but possibly toxic mercury sphygmomanometer are needed for accurate blood pressure measurements in the medical workplace. We compared the performance of two commercially available potential replacements for the mercury column; an anaeroid manometer (Baum & Co) and an automated oscillometric device (Omron HEM-907), using the mercury sphygmomanometer as a standard, in the same participants. METHODS: Two independent observers performed simultaneous triplicate blood pressure readings for 512 participants. The average difference and standard deviation of the difference comparing the mercury column vs. the anaeroid and automated devices were calculated for each of the three paired systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. RESULTS: Both devices met the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation criteria for sphygmomanometers (<5 mmHg average difference, <8 mmHg standard deviation of the difference) for all three readings. Compared with the mercury standard, there were no significant differences (by paired t-test) with the anaeroid device (-0.83/0.73 mmHg, P=0.25/0.09), but the automated device slightly overestimated systolic blood pressure (by 2.12 mmHg, P=0.002) and underestimated diastolic blood pressure (by 2.36 mmHg, P=0.0002). The first reading was significantly higher and had a larger standard deviation than the second or third readings across all manometers. CONCLUSIONS: The automated device performed as well as an anaeroid manometer operated by well trained, experienced observers. The two alternative devices to the mercury sphygmomanometer examined in this study may be potential replacement devices for blood pressure measurement.
OBJECTIVE: Alternatives to the traditional, but possibly toxic mercury sphygmomanometer are needed for accurate blood pressure measurements in the medical workplace. We compared the performance of two commercially available potential replacements for the mercury column; an anaeroid manometer (Baum & Co) and an automated oscillometric device (Omron HEM-907), using the mercury sphygmomanometer as a standard, in the same participants. METHODS: Two independent observers performed simultaneous triplicate blood pressure readings for 512 participants. The average difference and standard deviation of the difference comparing the mercury column vs. the anaeroid and automated devices were calculated for each of the three paired systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. RESULTS: Both devices met the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation criteria for sphygmomanometers (<5 mmHg average difference, <8 mmHg standard deviation of the difference) for all three readings. Compared with the mercury standard, there were no significant differences (by paired t-test) with the anaeroid device (-0.83/0.73 mmHg, P=0.25/0.09), but the automated device slightly overestimated systolic blood pressure (by 2.12 mmHg, P=0.002) and underestimated diastolic blood pressure (by 2.36 mmHg, P=0.0002). The first reading was significantly higher and had a larger standard deviation than the second or third readings across all manometers. CONCLUSIONS: The automated device performed as well as an anaeroid manometer operated by well trained, experienced observers. The two alternative devices to the mercury sphygmomanometer examined in this study may be potential replacement devices for blood pressure measurement.
Authors: Amit J Shah; Viola Vaccarino; A Cecile J W Janssens; W Dana Flanders; Suman Kundu; Emir Veledar; Peter W F Wilson; Elsayed Z Soliman Journal: JAMA Cardiol Date: 2016-10-01 Impact factor: 14.676
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Authors: Eric M Cheng; William E Cunningham; Amytis Towfighi; Nerses Sanossian; Robert J Bryg; Thomas L Anderson; Jeffrey J Guterman; Sandra G Gross-Schulman; Sylvia Beanes; Andrea S Jones; Honghu Liu; Susan L Ettner; Jeffrey L Saver; Barbara G Vickrey Journal: Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes Date: 2011-03
Authors: Jose Delgado; Elizabeth A Jacobs; Daniel T Lackland; Denis A Evans; Carlos F Mendes de Leon Journal: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci Date: 2012-04-10 Impact factor: 6.053
Authors: Joanne F Dorgan; Lea Liu; Bruce A Barton; Snehal Deshmukh; Linda G Snetselaar; Linda Van Horn; Victor J Stevens; Alan M Robson; Norman L Lasser; John H Himes; John A Shepherd; Ray Pourfarzib; Kelley Pettee Gabriel; Andrea Kriska; Peter O Kwiterovich Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 2011-10-12 Impact factor: 5.958
Authors: Thomas E Kottke; Jeffrey P Anderson; Jacob D Zillhardt; JoAnn M Sperl-Hillen; Patrick J O'Connor; Beverly B Green; Rae Ann Williams; Beth M Averbeck; Michael N Stiffman; MarySue Beran; Michael Rakotz; Karen L Margolis Journal: JAMA Netw Open Date: 2022-08-01