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Inaccuracy of electronic sphygmomanometers.
1Hypertension Clinic, Wellington Hospital, Wellington, New Zealand.
Summary
Eight electronic sphygmomanometers were evaluated for clinical accuracy. The Omron HEM-719K showed the highest accuracy, while the Omron HEM-812F performed poorly.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Clinical Measurement
Background:
- Accurate blood pressure monitoring is crucial for patient care.
- Electronic sphygmomanometers offer convenience but require validation against mercury devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the clinical accuracy of eight electronic sphygmomanometers.
- To compare their performance against a standard mercury sphygmomanometer.
Main Methods:
- Direct and indirect comparisons of readings from electronic devices and a mercury sphygmomanometer.
- Involved volunteer patients and simultaneous measurements by a trained observer.
- Analysis of mean and standard deviation of differences, graded against published criteria.
Main Results:
- The Omron HEM-719K, utilizing cuff acoustics, was the most accurate device.
- The Omron HEM-812F, employing a finger-cuff, demonstrated the least accuracy.
- Other oscillometric devices exhibited fair to poor accuracy.
Conclusions:
- Significant variability exists in the clinical accuracy of electronic sphygmomanometers.
- Device design, such as acoustic sensing versus finger-cuff, impacts performance.
- Recommendations for selecting accurate electronic blood pressure monitors are implied.