A device for measuring blood pressure and for indicating the presence of atrial fibrillation, the device comprising - an inflatable cuff adapted to be wrapped around an extremity of a patient - a pump for inflating said cuff - at least one pressure sensor for measuring the pressure inside the cuff - a pressure release valve for deflating said cuff - a control unit for controlling operation of said pump and of said pressure release valve - a calculating unit for independently determining the presence or absence of atrial fibrillation on the basis of pressure variations sensed with said at least one pressure sensor characterized in that the calculating unit is adapted to perform a first determination of the presence or absence of atrial fibrillation on the basis of a first sequence of pulse beats, conditionally a second determination on the basis of a second sequence of pulse beats, and conditionally a third determination on the basis of a third sequence of pulse beats, - wherein responsive to the calculating unit performing the first determination, and only if atrial fibrillation is determined to be present based on the first sequence of pulses, the control unit is operable to maintain said pressure in a predefined range or restore said pressure to a predefined range for an additional sequence and the calculating unit is operable to perform the second determination of the presence or absence of atrial fibrillation on the basis of a second sequence of pulse beats, and - responsive to the calculating unit performing the second determination, and only if atrial fibrillation is determined to be present based on the second sequence of pulse beats, the control unit is operable, to maintain said pressure in a predefined range or restore said pressure to a predefined range for an additional sequence, and the calculating unit is operable to perform the third determination of the presence or absence of atrial fibrillation on the basis of a third sequence of pulse beats - and wherein if and after the calculating unit determined the absence of atrial fibrillation in the first or second sequence, the control unit is operable to release the pressure from the cuff, or further increase in order to determine blood pressure. - an inflatable cuff adapted to be wrapped around an extremity of a patient - a pump for inflating said cuff - at least one pressure sensor for measuring the pressure inside the cuff - a pressure release valve for deflating said cuff - a control unit for controlling operation of said pump and of said pressure release valve - a calculating unit for independently determining the presence or absence of atrial fibrillation on the basis of pressure variations sensed with said at least one pressure sensor characterized in that the calculating unit is adapted to perform a first determination of the presence or absence of atrial fibrillation on the basis of a first sequence of pulse beats, conditionally a second determination on the basis of a second sequence of pulse beats, and conditionally a third determination on the basis of a third sequence of pulse beats, - wherein responsive to the calculating unit performing the first determination, and only if atrial fibrillation is determined to be present based on the first sequence of pulses, the control unit is operable to maintain said pressure in a predefined range or restore said pressure to a predefined range for an additional sequence and the calculating unit is operable to perform the second determination of the presence or absence of atrial fibrillation on the basis of a second sequence of pulse beats, and - responsive to the calculating unit performing the second determination, and only if atrial fibrillation is determined to be present based on the second sequence of pulse beats, the control unit is operable, to maintain said pressure in a predefined range or restore said pressure to a predefined range for an additional sequence, and the calculating unit is operable to perform the third determination of the presence or absence of atrial fibrillation on the basis of a third sequence of pulse beats - and wherein if and after the calculating unit determined the absence of atrial fibrillation in the first or second sequence, the control unit is operable to release the pressure from the cuff, or further increase in order to determine blood pressure.