Which combination is used to measure blood pressure at the brachial artery?

• A. Sphygmomanometer with a stethoscope
• B. Thermometer with a sphygmomanometer
• C. Pulse oximeter with a sphygmomanometer
• D. ECG monitor with a stethoscope

Answer: (A)

Measuring blood pressure at the brachial artery uses the auscultatory method: wrap a cuff from a sphygmomanometer around the upper arm and inflate to occlude arterial flow, then place a stethoscope over the brachial artery just below the cuff. As you slowly deflate, listen for Korotkoff sounds. The first sound marks the systolic pressure, and the point where the sounds disappear marks the diastolic pressure. This combination precisely captures arterial pressures through audible feedback. Other devices measure different things—thermometers for temperature, pulse oximeters for oxygen saturation, ECG monitors for electrical heart activity—so they don’t provide blood pressure readings in this auscultatory way.