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Quality control of automated blood pressure cuffs used to evaluate blood donors

Two separate hospital-based blood donor centers, one in Northern California and one in Southern California, asked similar questions regarding the use of automated blood pressure cuffs. Both institutions wanted to know what colleagues have done to validate the cuffs and how to perform QC on them. For example, one of the centers reports that up until this time, they have been using a manual cuff with an aneroid gauge and stethoscope which they QC'ed against a reference manometer. The reference may be a mercury manometer or an aneroid gauge identified as the reference. They are also curious whether they need to annually compare the automated blood pressure apparatus to a reference method or a standard that is NIST traceable.

The following comments have been received.

ADDENDA Aug. 4, 2006

1. A colleague in Massachusetts wonders what other facilities do for QC of sphyngomanometers (blood pressure cuffs) used in blood donor evaluation, and with what frequency is this QC performed? At his institution they do a 'leak test' monthly and perform calibration with a mercury sphygmomanometer quarterly.

Please submit comments to the e-Network Forum.

Ira A. Shulman, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Editor & Moderator

W. Tait Stevens, MD
CBBS e-Network Forum Assistant Editor & Moderator
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Posted: April 1, 2004

Addenda: Aug. 4, 2006

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