title: Accuracy of sphygmomanometers at pharmacies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study are to assess the reasons of using sphygmomanometers at pharmacies and to evaluate their accuracy.
  
  
  METHODS
  135 devices (118 aneroid, 1 mercury, and 16 automated) from 125 pharmacies (located in Samsun city center) were included in the study. A non-randomized, cross-sectional design was used for the study protocol which had two parts: assessment of devices and a questionnaire about the pharmacy and present sphygmomanometer(s).
  
  
  RESULTS
  40 (30%) of the 135 sphygmomanometers were inaccurate. 65 (48%) of the devices were older than 1 year and there was no correlation between the duration of the ownership of the sphygmomanometers and their inaccuracy (p > 0.05). Blood pressure measurement is a frequent practice at pharmacies. The aneroid type of sphygmomanometers was common. A limited number of devices were checked for accuracy before. The number of validated devices was low.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Training programs for pharmacists including the accuracy of sphygmomanometers and regular checks of sphygmomanometers for accuracy will be beneficial to the community and to the subjects requesting measurement of blood pressure at the pharmacies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Dilek Gurgenyatagi
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Erdem
authors.forename: Emre
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erdem
authors.forename: Melda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dilek
authors.forename: Turkan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aydogdu
authors.forename: Nevzat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Selim
authors.forename: Feride
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Demiray
authors.forename: Aysel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sari
authors.forename: Tekin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akpolat
mesh_terms: D001331:Automation; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010594:Pharmacies; D019722:Sphygmomanometers / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires