What term refers to the instrument used to measure blood pressure?

• A. Sphygmomanometer
• B. Splenectomy
• C. Supine
• D. Sagittal plane

Answer: (A)

The instrument used to measure blood pressure is the sphygmomanometer. It’s the device with a cuff placed around the upper arm, connected to a gauge or mercury column that displays the pressure. When you measure blood pressure, you inflate the cuff to momentarily stop blood flow and then slowly release the air while listening for the Korotkoff sounds with a stethoscope to identify the systolic and diastolic pressures. The other terms refer to unrelated concepts: splenectomy is the surgical removal of the spleen, supine means lying on the back, and sagittal plane is an anatomical division that splits the body into left and right portions.