APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ELECTROCARDIOGRAM-ASSISTED BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

摘要

An apparatus and method for electrocardiogram-assisted non-invasive arterial blood pressure and stiffness measurement is disclosed including a brachial cuff with flexible electrodes, control box with rigid electrodes, and associated hardware. The cuff is wrapped around upper arm while electrodes on device box are touched with fingers of other hand. The device acquires simultaneous ECG/oscillometric data during cuff deflation. A processing unit determines ECG R--peak positions to isolate arterial pulses and calculate pulse transit time. Changes in pulse amplitude as function of cuff pressure are used for constructing an oscillometric envelope and calculating blood pressure using empirical coefficients. Changes in pulse transit time as a function of cuff pressure are used independently for constructing pulse transit time envelopes and finding blood pressure with/without empirical coefficients. A fusion algorithm combines results for robust blood pressure and vessel stiffness evaluation.