What device is commonly used to measure blood pressure?

The sphygmomanometer is the device commonly used to measure blood pressure. It consists of an inflatable cuff that is wrapped around the upper arm and a measuring instrument, which can be either a mercury column or an aneroid gauge, that indicates the pressure. When the cuff is inflated, it temporarily stops blood flow in the artery. As the cuff is slowly deflated, the first sound heard through a stethoscope represents the systolic blood pressure, while the last sound indicates the diastolic pressure. This method provides a direct assessment of the force of blood against the walls of arteries, which is essential for diagnosing conditions like hypertension.

While other devices mentioned may be used in different contexts (such as the tonometer for measuring intraocular pressure in the eyes), they are not standard tools for assessing blood pressure. A cardiometer primarily assesses heart performance through electrical measurements, and a pulsometer generally quantifies pulse rates, not blood pressure. Thus, the sphygmomanometer is the established standard in clinical practice for measuring blood pressure.