When should you stop applying pressure to a sphygmomanometer cuff?

When measuring blood pressure using a sphygmomanometer, it is essential to apply pressure to the cuff until a specific point is reached. The correct moment to stop applying pressure is when you hear no sound, which indicates that the blood flow is not being detected anymore.

This phenomenon is based on the principle of the Korotkoff sounds, which are the sounds heard through a stethoscope when measuring blood pressure and indicate the phases of blood flow. Initially, as pressure is released from the cuff, the first sound corresponds to the systolic pressure, while the disappearance of sounds marks the diastolic pressure. Once sounds are no longer heard, it suggests that the cuff pressure has dropped below the diastolic pressure, and you can stop inflating the cuff.

In contrast, applying pressure until you can feel the pulse might lead to an inaccurate reading since pulse palpation does not provide sufficient information about the blood pressure levels. Waiting for a consistent systolic reading is also not the correct method, as blood pressure readings fluctuate depending on numerous factors. Finally, the patient's comfort and calmness are important in a clinical setting, but they do not dictate when to stop inflating the cuff. Therefore, stopping pressure when you hear no sound is