Which term is an instrument to measure blood pressure?

• A. Stethoscope
• B. Autometer
• C. Splenectomy
• D. Sphygmomanometer

Answer: (D)

Measuring blood pressure requires a device that can apply and read cuff pressure around the arm. The sphygmomanometer does this, with a cuff, a pressure gauge (aneroid or mercury), and a bulb to inflate. You inflate the cuff to occlude the artery, then release pressure and use a stethoscope to listen for Korotkoff sounds. The first sound you hear marks the systolic pressure, and when the sounds disappear, that indicates the diastolic pressure. The stethoscope is a listening aid, not the pressure-measuring device itself. The other options aren’t used to measure blood pressure—one is a surgical procedure, and the other isn’t a standard BP instrument.