The case for a hybrid sphygmomanometer

Mercury sphygomanometers are being banned in many countries, but what will replace them for the routine management of clinic blood pressure is unresol ved. The accuracy of the two most widely used alternatives, aneroid and osc illometric devices, is questionable. A proposed alternative is a hybrid sph ygomomanometer which is based on the mercury technique, but replaces the me rcury column with an electronic transducer and display. It also has the pot ential to eliminate terminal digit preference. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.