Operational Medicine 2001
Blood Pressure Cuff

The blood pressure cuff comes in a zippered case. It is somewhat water resistant but not waterproof. Whenever weather exposure is anticipated, it should be wrapped in plastic or placed in a Ziplock bag for protection.

Blood pressure can be an important vital sign, both in military and humanitarian settings.

In military tactical settings (in the middle of a battle), BP measurements are nearly impossible to take (noise of battle), but are also not of much use.

Once the battle is over and the victim moved to a protected setting, the BP may be more important. In contemplating MEDEVAC, one of the considerations may be the patient's blood pressure.

While it might be theoretically advantageous to take a blood pressure cuff on every mission, its' weight (over a pound, including the stethoscope) is enough of a disadvantage to restrict its' carry to specific missions.

To take a blood pressure using the cuff:

• Feel for a pulse from the artery coursing through the inside of the elbow (antecubital fossa). This will be your landmark.

• Wrap the cuff around the bare arm (push the sleeve up or you may get a false recording).

• Line up the "Artery" lable on the cuff with the arterial pulse you felt in the antecubital fossa.

• Make sure the "Index Line" falls between the "Need Smaller Cuff" line and "Need Larger Cuff: lines.

• Place the stethoscope head directly over the artery you found. Press in firmly enough to make a good connection with the skin, but not so hard that you block the artery with pressure from your stethoscope.

• Close the thumb-screw next to the squeeze bulb.

• Pump the squeeze bulb several times, until the blood pressure gauge rises to 180 or 200.

• Open the thumb-screw to slowly release the pressure.

• As the pressure is slowly falling, listen with the stethoscope for the steady "bump, bump, bump" of the pulse. 

• Systolic blood pressure (the first of the two numbers) is the pressure at which you can first hear the pulse.

• Keep listening as the pressure continues to slowly drop. Below a certain pressure, you will no longer be able to hear the "bump, bump, bump" of the pulse.

• Diastolic blood pressure is the last pressure at which you can still hear the pulse.

• Record the blood pressure as "XXX/YYY" (Systolic pressure / Diastolic pressure.)

Sphygmomanometer Aneroid 300MM MAX Calibration W/Clip For Cuff

Weight: 0.69 pounds

Weight with protective case: 0.8 pounds

NSN: 6515-01-039-4884

NSN (Case): 6515-01-039-0164

Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited.

The listing of any non-Federal product in this CD is not an endorsement of the product itself, but simply an acknowledgement of the source. 

Operational Medicine 2001
Health Care in Military Settings

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