A RAPID NONINVASIVE BLOOD-PRESSURE MEASUREMENT METHOD FOR DISCRETE VALUE AND FULL-WAVE-FORM DETERMINATION

A new noninvasive measurement method providing rapid measurement, of s ystemic arterial blood pressure (BP) and its validation is described. The method combines precisely timed electrocardiographic-gated rapid r elease of occluding counterpressure (600 mmHg/s) with photoplethysmogr aphic detection of radial artery filling to measure arterial opening p ressure. A complete BP waveform is reconstructed from multiple repetit ions of the measurement cycle at successively increasing time interval s relative to the electrocardiographic signal. Systolic and diastolic values can be measured within two to four cardiac cycles at the peak a nd trough of the BP wave. The new method was compared with sphygmomano metry in 26 randomly selected subjects over a sphygmomanometric pressu re range of 53-110 (diastolic) and 100-190 mmHg (systolic). The mean p ressure differences between the sphygmomanometric and new methods were -1.3 +/- 15.2 (SD) (systolic) and 0.7 +/- 9.9 mmHg (diastolic), and c orresponding BP values measured by these methods were highly correlate d [P < 0.001; R(2) = 0.87 (systolic); R(2) = 0.80 (diastolic)]. The ne w method was compared with sphygmomanometry and intra-arterial BP in s ix patients. These tests confirmed the method's validity compared with established methods. The new method was ostensibly immune to mechanic al perturbations when tested during cycle ergometry at 60 W. The new m ethod may facilitate the study of circulatory phenomena previously ina ccessible by available noninvasive methods and minimizes patient disco mfort and circulatory arrest at the measurement site.