ABPM - PRESENT TECHNIQUE OF RECORDING-SYS TEMS

Up to now several ABPM-recorders from 12 different manufacturer have b een validated and approved by the ''Physikalisch-technische Bundesanst alt'' (PTB, Berlin/Braunschweig). Eight of these systems are working w ith the Korotkov-method, partially - in order to minimize artefacts - with ''ECG-gating'' resp. ''oscillometric gating''; one system works w ith either auscultatory or the oscillometric modus, and 3 systems are using the oscillometric method. Validization is performed under every day conditions in a standardized manner, wherein the sphygmomanometry serves as reference method. Using auscultation an exact position of th e microphone, being partially included into the cuff, has to be regard ed, being placed at the site of the pulse maximum of the brachial arte ry. The application of the oscillometic systems is somewhat easier, bu t there may occur a greater number of artefacts induced by patients mo vements, resulting in consecutively additional recordings. Applying fu rther miniaturisation to oscillometric recorders 2 systems have recent ly be brought on the market, having a fairly low weight of approximate ly 250 g (versus 350 to 400 g in other recorders). Furthermore, the (p atient-) acceptance could be optimized by low noise of the pressure pu mp (using membran instead of piston stroke pumps) and by adjusting the cuff inflation pressure to the extend of the actual blood pressure; t o make the use even easier, the possibility for marking special events and timing the sleeping hours is provided, as well as the standardize d interpretation of the computer protocols by the criteria of the Germ an Hypertension League. Besides a short printer program, the use of th e PC print out is widely approved. The especially important cuff fixat ion during the longterm recording has not yet been sufficiently worked out in all systems.