title: Home sphygmomanometers: validation versus accuracy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The validation and accuracy of sphygmomanometers are important issues in the home sphygmomanometer market and in clinical practice. The aims of this study are to assess the frequency of validated home sphygmomanometers and to evaluate the relationship between the validation and accuracy of the devices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight hundred and ninety-six home sphygmomanometers were brought by individuals to the University Hospital Hypertension Clinic for this study, and 870 (97%) of the devices were in adequate working condition and suitable for analysis. The relationship between accuracy and validation was investigated only in automated sphygmomanometers (n = 554).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both the manufacturer and model were known in 500 devices (90%), and these devices were eligible for evaluation of validation. We found 74 devices listed in the dabl Educational Trust website. Twenty-two of the 74 (30%) devices were validated. Four hundred (72%) of the 554 automated sphygmomanometers were inaccurate. The frequency of accuracy was higher among validated devices compared with nonvalidated devices (68 vs. 15%) (P<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed that the frequency of accurate devices was higher among validated sphygmomanometers compared with nonvalidated sphygmomanometers. To our knowledge, our study is the first to demonstrate the relationship between accuracy and validation of home sphygmomanometers. The frequency of device-related errors can be decreased by training patients and supervising the blood pressure device market. Nonprofit organizations can help patients to overcome some of the problems in the blood pressure device market.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Ondokuz Mayis University School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey. tekinakpolat@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Tekin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akpolat
authors.forename: Melda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dilek
authors.forename: Turkan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aydogdu
authors.forename: Zelal
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Adibelli
authors.forename: Dilek Gurgenyatagi
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Erdem
authors.forename: Emre
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erdem
mesh_terms: D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D002138:Calibration; D006801:Humans; D015588:Observer Variation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012648:Self Care / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D019722:Sphygmomanometers / Q000592:standards*