A Preliminary Evaluation of the Mean Arterial Pressure as Measured by Cuff Oscillometry

The brachial artery (BA) mean blood pressure (MBP) is now readily available using the oscillometric technique. In contrast to the auscultatory method where MBP is calculated from the systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), oscillometric MBP is measured separately from either SBP or DBP. Because the peripheral MBP is free of amplification, it is nearly the same throughout the entire arterial tree and could represent the corresponding aortic pressure. The oscillometric brachial MBP could therefore serve as a surrogate for aortic MBP and might be a valuable non-invasive risk predictor.