[Blood pressure measurement devices used in primary care office]

To know different blood pressure (BP) measurement devices used in primary care (PC).

Cross-sectional study, multilocated, with a non probabilistic sample of consecutive cases selection, all over the country.

Primary care practices from all the country.

PC patients treated and they all were of age.

Two consecutive BP measures were made and measurement devices used in this process by physicians were booked.

In this study participated 3592 PC physicians, BP were measured to 14,137 subjects. To a 69.8% of subjects BP were measured with a mercury sphygmomanometer; 16.5% with an electronic device; 11.8% with an aneroid manometer; and a 1.9% were measured with more than one measurement method. In rural environmental, electronic devices and aneroid manometer were used more, and some differences were noted in the different self ruled community in our country. There were differences in BP values in order to measurement methods, a third measurement was made often by physicians who managed electronic devices, and utilization of digits 0 and 5 was higher when measurement method was not an electronic device.

In PC office, mercury sphygmomanometer is being used preferably and that aneroid manometers are still in use. Their utilization involves important bias in measurement process, so that electronic devices should be promoted.