Sundar Muniswamy1, Uma Sakkara Kenchanna2
Various kinds of error can arise during the process of blood pressure measurement and it is more with Mercury Sphygmomanometers (MM). Its comparability with the use of Automated Blood Pressure Measurement Devices (AD) is unequivocal. So, the present study was taken up to compare the blood pressure measurement using automated and mercury sphygmomanometer among the pregnant women in primary healthcare settings of Hassan district.
The aim of the study is to compare clinical blood pressure measurement using automated and mercury sphygmomanometers among pregnant women in primary healthcare settings.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted in two primary health centres of Hassan district between February 2016 to August 2016. Blood pressure was recorded in 357 pregnant women using both mercury and automated sphygmomanometers (Omron HEM-8721). Two readings were taken in sitting position in a nondominant arm with one minute gap using both devices separately. The mean of two recordings recorded with both the devices were considered as the blood pressure of that mother. There was a 2-minute gap between automatic and manual BP readings. All measurements were obtained under similar conditions except for the two different BP recording techniques used. The ethical clearance has been taken from Institutional Ethical Committee. Data was analysed by using SPSS 18.
RESULTS
The mean age of the participants was 22.56±3.29. The mean of systolic blood pressure using the MM and AD were 106.35±10.07 and 106.16±11.30 respectively and mean of diastolic blood pressure were 66.65±9.39 and 66.53±9.42, respectively. Systolic BP was >130 mmHg for 17 manual and 14 automated measurements. Diastolic BP was ≥90 mmHg for 13 manual and 11 automated BP readings. Through scatter plot-it was found highly correlated between systolic and diastolic measurement using two different types of instruments. Also, for reliability between variables, Cronbach’s alpha value found was 0.917 and 95%, CI; 0.89-0.93, which is highly significant.
CONCLUSION
Digital blood pressure equipment is equally efficient and comparable to conventional ones in all aspects for wider usage in different setups.
