What Are the Parts of a Blood Pressure Cuff?

A blood pressure cuff is used with an aneroid monitor or a digital monitor to ascertain blood pressure readings as part of a medical examination or to monitor blood pressure as part of an at home healthcare regimen. The blood pressure cuff requires a means of inflation and deflation, a gauge for pressure readings and a stethoscope.

Cuff

• The inflatable cuff is dual layered and is made of rubber and nylon. It wraps around the arm and is securely held in place by a Velcro fastener.

Inflation

• When using an aneroid monitor, inflation of the cuff is manually performed by squeezing a bulb at the end of a rubber tube attached to the blood pressure cuff. Digital monitors offer the option of manual inflation or automatic inflation with the touch of a button.

Deflation

• Aneroid monitors use manual valves that have to be loosened to gradually adjust the cuff pressure in order to obtain a blood pressure reading and to deflate the cuff. Digital monitors automatically adjust cuff pressure and deflate the cuff with the touch of a button.

Gauges

• There are two types of gauges. An aneroid gauge uses a numbered dial for indicating systolic and diastolic pressure numbers. A digital gauge indicates the pressure numbers on an LCD screen.

Stethoscope

• With an aneroid monitor, a stethoscope is required to listen for the sounds of the heartbeat in order to obtain a blood pressure reading. With digital monitors there is no need to listen for the heartbeat because they use a built in stethoscope that automatically picks up the sounds and records them.