Sphygmomanometer Recommendations?

[kl323]

Hey all,

I'm looking to get a BP cuff not because it's required, but I'd like to keep one at home for family.

I've been looking on many sites for some cheap and good sphygmomanometer... I don't want to spend more than $40. It doesn't need to be bundled with a steth.

What brand should I look at? I checked Amazon and see that most of the cheapo ones have pretty decent ratings. What's a reasonable price for a reliable and accurate sphygmomanometer? I did a search for this topic, but I didn't get any more info regarding brand and price.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

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[csmmedic]

I have worked at a few different EMS agencies, and had to use a few different BP cuffs. ADC makes the best in my opinion.

http://www.adctoday.com

 

[ChiDO]

I have never seen anyone use the word Sphygmomanometer other then our cardio lecture on one slide.

 

[weightyheart]

I'm also looking for one. Something under 100 or so would be nice. I would also prefer mercury so I don't have to calibrate them. Any suggestions? Which of the ADC ones?

 

[lord_jeebus]

I wouldn't spend much. My fiance's parents have a cheapo one from CVS that seems to work just as well as the Welch Allyn I got tricked into buying as a med student.

 

[vandy160890]

I think the better word would be B.P. Measuring apparatus.

Any certified company will give similar results, so if you are on budget, you can go for cheaper ones. Just chk the quality of valve and rubber bag. Cloth is less important.

And mercury is better than digital😎

 

[MossPoh]

I have never seen anyone use the word Sphygmomanometer other then our cardio lecture on one slide.

We had to use it for our first doctoring quiz. Spelling counted.

 

[organdonor]

I work in a hospital as a nurses aid and take approximately 50 blood pressures a week. Our hospital uses welch's. That said, I went to CVS, bought their store brand, and it works exactly the same. except that it costs less.

Actually, it won't undo itself to lay flat like most cuffs you would encounter. It is always in a loop, so it would be impossible to use with someone with an attached IV, but not an issue for what I do/you would use it for.

It is the stethoscope/user that make a difference, not at all the cuff.

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/s...62&productId=156062&navAction=jump&navCount=3

This one is nice, has every feature that you would want, and is inexpensive.
http://www.allheart.com/ahdbp0100.html

 

[Noirukiddingme]

We had to use it for our first doctoring quiz. Spelling counted.

lol... I want to see your teacher explain to a student who spelled it wrong how, exactly, he is going to be a bad doctor....🙄

 

[TMP-SMX]

ADC Heavy Duty adult is $29.99. It's a good deal.

 

[Law2Doc]

ADC Heavy Duty adult is $29.99. It's a good deal.

You can probably get an even cheaper one off ebay. Especially if you don't mind a drug brand's name written on it. Go cheap. They all work, and it's not the kind of equpment anyone will ever expect you to have on you.

 

[cfdavid]

I have never seen anyone use the word Sphygmomanometer other then our cardio lecture on one slide.

What's a Sphinctermanometer?

 

[cpants]

Even 30 dollars is too much to spend. Get a cheap one from allheart.com or on ebay, 15 dollars max. You will almost never use the thing. You just need one to practice with until you get the hang of it. ANY FIRST YEARS READING THIS THREAD: DO NOT BUY THOSE 100 DOLLAR WELCH-ALLYN SPHYGS. I don't care what BS those salesman feed you about "investing in your tools". It isn't better than a 30 dollar sphyg, and you will look stupid if you bring out a 125 dollar one as a med student.

 

[bannie22]

I work in a hospital as a nurses aid and take approximately 50 blood pressures a week. Our hospital uses welch's. That said, I went to CVS, bought their store brand, and it works exactly the same. except that it costs less.

Actually, it won't undo itself to lay flat like most cuffs you would encounter. It is always in a loop, so it would be impossible to use with someone with an attached IV, but not an issue for what I do/you would use it for.

It is the stethoscope/user that make a difference, not at all the cuff.

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/s...62&productId=156062&navAction=jump&navCount=3

This one is nice, has every feature that you would want, and is inexpensive.
http://www.allheart.com/ahdbp0100.html

Surely you have an electronic?

 

[libertyyne]

Surely you have an electronic?

I am not sure if they had those almost a Decade ago.

 

[organdonor]

Surely you have an electronic?

Haha that was a while ago. Not bad advice from 7 year younger me though. I was in undergrad when I made that post. Now I'm 2 weeks away from being an attending.

I'm not sure why you would assume I had an electric bp cuff? If you meant at home then certainly I did/do not. When I was a CNA we had one dynamapp on our unit but that was only used if someone was getting very frequent (like every 30 minute) checks set on a timer, or you couldn't hear on an especially difficult patient, or you were that one cna whose all around skills were questionable.

Manual cuffs with a stethoscope are more convenient, more portable, cheaper, easier to clean, don't need plugged in, and are actually more accurate in the hands of a moderately experienced person. The story we were told in med school was that, as a demonstration of their inaccuracy, someone hooked up a dynamapp to an hours dead patient and it gave a reading in the normal range. Cannot verify but after using them I would believe it.

I actually did go for the Welch allyn cuff in med school when the rep came around for the big sale. It's kind of nice that the inflator and gauge are in one unit, but if I'm at home (where I keep both of them) and want to check a bp for some reason, I still reach for my CVS brand cuff lol.

Definitely would not advocate spending over 30 on a BP cuff. Cheaper the better. Also if the only thing you are using it for is checking blood pressures you will be just fine using a $10 steth as well. Will want to upgrade for clinical rotations though.

 

[TMP-SMX]

Surely you have an electronic?

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