OBJECTIVES: Oscillomertic blood pressure monitors are widely used throughout the world, though they may cause inaccuracies in certain diseases (hyper- and hypotonia, cardiac arrhythmia, circulatory insufficiency). The purpose of the research was to examine the values obtained with different techniques and the possible defects in the blood pressure measurement protocol.

METHODS: The quantitative cross-sectional examination was performed at the clinics and ambulances of University of Pécs Clinical Center, in two departments between 01.02.2017. – 20.03.2017. In non-random, targeted sampling, patients with atrial fibrillation and untreated hypertension (n = 91) were selected to the target group, while patients with 22-33 cm arm circumference range were excluded from the sample. During document analysis and observation, we performed measurements with mercurial, aneroid, oscillometric devices, and observed the blood pressure measurement protocol (n = 136). Results were gained using SPSS statistical software, descriptive statistics, one-off t-test, correlation, ANOVA and Ȥ2 probe (p <0.05) were used.

RESULTS: There is a significant difference in the number of systolic and diastolic values (p <0.05) between the three devices in the case of endemic fibrillation and untreated hypertension. The oscillometric device underestimates blood pressure (p <0.05). In the case of the blood pressure measurement protocol, no satisfactory measurements were made in the case of mercurial measurement, 32% acceptable and 68% inappropriate. For oscillometric measurements 85% of the measurements were acceptable.

CONCLUSIONS: The oscillometric blood pressure monitor is reliable in healthy patients, but in the case of atrial fibrillation and hypertension underestimates blood pressure, which we found different from most international research. In the case of blood pressure measurement protocol, inadequate measurement techniques may result in misdiagnosis.