Concept:A sphygmomanometer is the standard manual instrument for measuring blood pressure by using an inflatable cuff and a stethoscope to detect Korotkoff sounds.
Explanation:The manual sphygmomanometer consists of an inflatable cuff, a manometer (mercury or aneroid gauge), and a rubber bulb for inflation.
To measure blood pressure, the cuff is wrapped around the upper arm and inflated to temporarily stop arterial blood flow.
As cuff pressure is slowly released, a healthcare professional listens with a stethoscope over the brachial artery.
The first tapping sound (systolic pressure) indicates when blood flow resumes, and the disappearance of sound (diastolic pressure) marks the resting pressure.
Readings are reported in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), for example, 120/80 mmHg.
Manual sphygmomanometers, especially mercury type, are considered the gold standard for accuracy and are widely used in clinical settings.
Korotkoff sounds are the arterial sounds heard during measurement and are key to determining both systolic and diastolic values.
Other types include aneroid (mechanical gauge) and digital (automatic) devices, but manual measurement requires skill and a stethoscope.
Answer:A. Sphygmomanometer