186 results about "Blood pressure cuffs" patented technology

Autonomous personal service robot to monitor its owner for symptoms of distress and provide assistance. The system may include sensors to detect situations before they affect people such as smoke, heat, temperature and carbon monoxide sensors. The system can provide security for the home. The PRA may comprise features such as a medicine dispenser and blood pressure cuff. Features such as broadband internet, MP3 player, reading lights and eye glass tracker provide butler type capabilities that enable the system to appeal to markets beyond the elderly and infirmed. The system may also include an X10 transmitter / receiver to automatically control various household lights and appliances. Equipping the system with a robot arm enables the robot to fetch items, turn on and off wall switches and open the refrigerator.

Autonomous personal service robot to monitor its owner for symptoms of distress and provide assistance. The system may include sensors to detect situations before they affect people such as smoke, heat, temperature and carbon monoxide sensors. The system can provide security for the home. The PRA may comprise features such as a medicine dispenser and blood pressure cuff. Features such as broadband internet, MP3 player, reading lights and eye glass tracker provide butler type capabilities that enable the system to appeal to markets beyond the elderly and infirmed. The system may also include an X10 transmitter / receiver to automatically control various household lights and appliances. Equipping the system with a robot arm enables the robot to fetch items, turn on and off wall switches and open the refrigerator.

A simplified device and method for continuous ECG monitoring incorporates electrodes in a pulse oximeter finger probe and / or in a blood pressure cuff. The electrodes in the pulse oximeter and blood pressure cuff generate a continuous ECG tracing without the use of disposable electrodes connected to multiple electrical wires in an ECG harness. In another embodiment, simplified ECG monitoring system can act as a secondary ECG input to a system that uses a primary ECG input as well.

A blood pressure cuff including an inflatable bladder disposed between an elastic, resilient inner layer of material and at least one outer layer of material. The bladder is secured to these layers along the elongate ends but not along the elongate edges. The bladder is not laterally constrained during inflation. The cuff is formed into a cylindrical shape having a fixed outer diameter and includes a backing layer and apparatus for securing the bladder to a layer of the cuff to hold the bladder in place during donning of the cuff. Because the bladder is not constrained along its contact-width edges, the shape of the bladder automatically adjusts to provide a longer contact surface for larger arms and a shorter contact surface for smaller arms. The cuff is especially suited for use as a closed cuff in an automated blood pressure measurement machine or in stand-alone measurement use.

A system for measuring blood pressure is described that includes a blood pressure cuff with a sizing indicator. The sizing indicator presents size information indicating either the size of the blood pressure cuff or the size of a patient's arm within the blood pressure cuff. The system also includes a monitor featuring a sensing component that senses the size information from the sizing indicator. A pressure-monitoring system, which is coupled to the blood pressure cuff and may be in wireless communication with the monitor, measures a pressure signal from the patient's arm. The pressure-monitoring system is coupled to a processor that processes both the pressure signal and the size information to measure the patient's blood pressure.

A method and system for use in measuring the endothelial dysfunction utilizing flow mediated dilation and determining arterial health of a patient. The system includes a non-invasive blood pressure monitor, an ultrasound system and a pulse oximeter monitor that all communicate with each other to perform the flow mediated dilation. Initially, the ultrasound transducer, blood pressure cuff and pulse oximeter sensor are positioned on an arm of the patient. The blood pressure cuff is inflated to occlude an artery for an occlusion period. Following the occlusion period, the ultrasound system is automatically signaled to begin determining a parameter of the artery, such as diameter, and the flow rate of blood through the artery without any operator intervention. At the same time, the pulse wave velocity PWV is calculated between the ultrasound transducer and the finger probe of the pulse oximeter following the occlusion period. Based upon the detected characteristics of the artery before and after occlusion, as well as the PWV, the system can determine the endothelial dysfunction and arterial health of the patient.

The invention relates to a blood pressure monitor for measuring the blood pressure of a person including a blood pressure cuff. The blood pressure monitor also includes an electro-pneumatic package. The electro-pneumatic package includes a pump, a valve, a pressure sensor, and one or more accelerometers. A pneumatic mechanical coupling is configured to pneumatically and mechanically directly couple the blood pressure cuff to the electro-pneumatic package, wherein a signal from the one or more accelerometers configured to indicate an activity level of the person during a blood pressure measurement. A display is configured to display an indication of the activity level. The invention also relates to a blood pressure monitor wherein an electronics circuit is configured to receive the motion signal from the one or more accelerometers during a blood pressure measurement. The invention also relates to a method for detecting a motion artifact in a non-invasive blood pressure measurement.

A method and system for operating a non-invasive blood pressure monitor that utilizes an SpO2 plethysmograph signal to determine the initial inflation pressure for the blood pressure cuff of the NIBP monitor. A pulse sensor is placed on the patient's limb distal to the blood pressure cuff such that as the blood pressure cuff is inflated, the pulse signals from the pulse sensor will be reduced. When the blood pressure cuff reaches systolic pressure, the pulse signals from the pulse sensor will be initially attenuated and eventually eliminated, thus providing an indication that the cuff pressure has reached systolic pressure for the patient. The central processor of the NIBP monitor compares the pulse signals during cuff inflation to an average pulse signal and terminates the inflation of the blood pressure cuff upon sufficient attenuation. The use of the SpO2 plethysmograph signal to determine the initial inflation pressure reduces both the over-inflation of the blood pressure cuff and the under-inflation of the blood pressure cuff which increases the rate at which the blood pressure measurement can be made while increasing patient comfort.

A blood pressure measurement system that utilizes a non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitor having a blood pressure cuff and pressure transducer. The measurement system provides a plurality of separate processing techniques that each receive a plurality of oscillometric data values from the pressure transducer. Each of the processing techniques separately constructs an oscillometric envelope based upon the oscillometric data values. Based upon the plurality of separate oscillometric envelopes, the system compares the envelopes and develops a calculated blood pressure from the plurality of envelopes. The calculated blood pressure is then displayed by the NIBP system. The plurality of oscillometric envelopes can be compared and combined in different manners to calculate the patient's blood pressure from the plurality of different processing techniques.

Tourniquet padding and methods of its use with a tourniquet are provided. The tourniquet padding comprises a cover sheet with at least one surface having anti-slip properties, and can be made with and without a compressible padding material disposed on the cover sheet. The tourniquet padding has a length sufficient to be wrapped around a limb of a person, and a width wider than the tourniquet. The cover sheet can be gathered along the proximal edge to accommodate a range of circumferences of extremities, and include an elastic member for wrapping around the extremity. The surface of the cover sheet to be placed in contact with the skin can include one or more adhesive elements to provide an interrupted adhesive surface. The adhesive elements can comprise an adhesive material that is adherable to skin, or a frictionally adhesive material having anti-slip properties to maintain the padding device in place on the skin during use. The surface of the cover sheet can comprise a liquid-repellent material to protect the tourniquet from becoming wet or soiled during a medical procedure. In an embodiment of the tourniquet padding, a padding material is disposed on a cover sheet such that at least the distal edge portion of the cover sheet can be turned onto a tourniquet disposed on the padding material. In another embodiment, the cover sheet comprises an extension of material along the lower or distal edge having an adhesive surface that is applied to the skin, and a second layer that is turned proximally over the lower (distal) edge of the tourniquet to protect the tourniquet, and to keep it from slipping distally.In use, the tourniquet padding is wrapped about an extremity, a tourniquet is positioned onto the padding material, and the distal edge portion of the cover sheet is turned onto the tourniquet and secured. The distal edge portion of the cover sheet can include perforations to divide it into sections. As the tourniquet inflates and deflates, the cover sheet overlying the tourniquet flexes to accommodate the change in thickness. The tourniquet padding maintains a blood pressure cuff or other tourniquet in place on a limb and prevents it from slipping down the extremity during use.

Adaptive attachments used in combination with a blood pressure cuff enable various blood pressure measurements to be taken in a hospital or other setting having various single and / or dual lumen manual or electronic blood pressure measuring equipment with a single, patient-worn cuff.

A blood pressure cuff includes:(a) a flexible, hollow bladder adapted to surround the arm of the patient, which has an inside surface adapted to apply pressure to a surface of the arm above an artery, an outside surface opposite this inside surface, and an inlet line for receiving a fluid to cause the bladder to expand;(b) at least one first sensor element arranged on a inside and / or outside surface of the bladder in a location adjacent the artery when the bladder is in its operative position surrounding the patient's arm; and possibly also(c) at least one second sensor element arranged on a surface of the bladder that is opposite to the surface on which the first sensor element is disposed, and in a location adjacent the artery when the bladder is in its operative position surrounding the patient's arm. The sensor elements each comprise an elongate thin-film strip which transduces mechanical vibrations and produces an electrical signal representing these vibrations, normally in the range of 0 to 100 Hz.

Techniques are provided for use with a pacemaker or other implantable medical device for detecting arterial blood pressure. Briefly, the pacemaker detects aortic electrical resistance using sensing / pacing leads. Aortic electrical resistance pertains to the resistance to an electrical current passing through the aorta. The pacemaker then determines the arterial blood pressure of the patient based on the aortic resistance and a predetermined calibration value that relates aortic resistance to arterial pressure. The calibration value is updated monthly based on blood pressure values detected using an external blood pressure sensor employing a blood pressure cuff. Other techniques described herein pertain to the determination of other physiologic parameters such as stroke volume and cardiac output and to the detection of changes in hematocrit. Any of the various physiological parameters may then be used to trigger or control warning signals and responsive therapy.

One embodiment of a seat belt attachment (3) for providing, recording and wireless transmission of electrode (6,7,8,9) sensor autonomic physiologic data as well as distance vector locator (10) which communicates at both ends with flexible attachment fasteners (1, 2) to the seat belt. The outer covering of the attachment is made of a flexible material, Velcro secured and folded such that it can easily move slidably without fracturing, along its axes. In addition, an outer layer of cloth is added for ease of sweat stain absorption. The longitudinal axis of the base contains two through holes or portals (11, 12) for blood pressure cuff (14) attachment and wireless transmission of data respectively. Other embodiments are described and shown.

Portable physiological measuring devices and methods are disclosed. Embodiments may provide measurement of blood pressure without traditional blood pressure cuffs. Further, disclosed embodiments may gather pulse oximetry (SpO2), heart rate and body temperature measurements simultaneously. A user's blood pressure index and other vital physiological results may be displayed on a portable physiological measuring apparatus or a portable terminal. Embodiments may provide a portable physiological measuring method and apparatus that displays results on a displayed screen.

A medication dispensing compliance device with interconnectivity to common vital sign monitoring devices such as blood pressure cuffs, glucometers, weight scales, pulse oximeters, heart rate monitors, body temperature, respirometers and other vital sign monitoring apparatus and a system for the aggregation of medication management and clinical vital signs to monitor patient compliance and efficacy of prescribed medications.

A method of operating a non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitor having a blood pressure cuff. During operation of the NIBP monitor, the blood pressure cuff is initially inflated at a rapid inflation rate. Once the blood pressure cuff reaches a first pressure, the inflation rate of the blood pressure cuff is reduced from the rapid inflation rate to a measurement inflation rate. The blood pressure cuff continues to inflate at the measurement inflation rate while the NIBP monitor receives signals from the patient. Based upon the signals received from the patient, the controller of the NIBP monitor calculates an initial inflation pressure. The blood pressure cuff is inflated to the calculated initial inflation pressure and inflation is terminated. In this manner, signals received from the patient during inflation are used to calculate the initial inflation pressure to reduce the amount of time required to make a blood pressure measurement.

An apparatus, system and method for collecting non-invasive blood pressure readings from a patient is provided. A non-invasive blood pressure cuff is arranged to be worn about a wrist of a patient and to be operatively connected to a blood pressure monitor. Communication means are operatively connected to the blood pressure cuff the monitor and arranged to automatically communicate a parameter associated with the cuff to the monitor. The monitor is arranged to automatically adjust blood pressure algorithms based upon the parameter to enhance the accuracy of blood pressure readings.

Inflatable blood pressure cuff assemblies include an inflatable elongate cuff member having opposing long edges and opposing short edge portions with a fluid chamber therein and a resilient support sleeve attached to a respective one of the opposing short edge portions of the inflatable elongate cuff member. The sleeve may be configured with a sensor chamber and a cable routing channel. Related systems and methods of fabricating cuff assemblies and resilient support sleeves are also described.

A method of operating a blood pressure measurement system that utilizes a non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitor having a blood pressure cuff. During operation of the NIBP monitor, the blood pressure cuff is initially inflated. During the initial inflation, at least one pressure transducer monitors for the presence of oscillometric pulses and creates an oscillation signal. The oscillation signal is filtered and provided to a central processor. The central processor monitors for oscillometric pulses within the filtered signal and estimates a diastolic pressure and a systolic pressure for the patient. The estimated systolic and diastolic measurements taken during the initial inflation of the blood pressure cuff are used by the central processor to set a target inflation pressure and control the deflation of the blood pressure cuff from the initial inflation pressure.

A non-invasive blood pressure system comprises a blood pressure cuff having an identifier and an aperture such that the identifier can be read through the aperture when the cuff is in a desired configuration. Another comprises a processor in operative communication with the cuff and configured to initiate a blood pressure determination when the identifier can be read through the aperture, while a method provides such blood pressure cuffs.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for ambulatory, real-time detection of Atrial Fibrillation (AF) providing an overall accuracy that refers to detection of AF, irrespective of the duration of AF and beat-to-beat classification.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for ambulatory, real-time detection of Atrial Fibrillation (AF) providing an overall accuracy that refers to detection of AF, irrespective of the duration of AF and beat-to-beat classification.

A blood pressure cuff including an elongate, inflatable bladder disposed between an elastic, resilient inner layer of material and at least one outer layer of material. The bladder is secured to these layers along the elongate ends but not along the elongate edges. The bladder is not laterally constrained during inflation and can readily conform to a subject's limb. Preferably the cuff is formed into a cylindrical shape having a fixed outer diameter selected to accommodate an upper limit of arm circumference within the cuff. The cuff may include a stiff backing layer and means for securing the bladder to a layer of the cuff to hold the bladder in place during donning of the cuff by a subject. Because the bladder is not constrained along its contact-width edges, the shape of the bladder automatically adjusts to provide a longer contact surface for larger arms and a shorter contact surface for smaller arms, making the cuff useful over a much wider range of arm sizes than can be accommodated by any single prior art closed cuff. A cuff in accordance with the invention is especially suited to use as a closed cuff in an automated blood pressure measurement machine or in stand-alone measurement use.

A method and system for operating a non-invasive blood pressure monitor that utilizes an SpO2 plethysmographic signal to reduce the time required to obtain an estimation of a patient's blood pressure. During operation of the NIBP monitor, the NIBP monitor utilizes the SpO2 plethysmographic signal to determine a timing period and a deflation period for each pulse associated with the patient's heartbeat. Upon receiving an oscillation pulse, the NIBP monitor determines the oscillation amplitude during the timing period and deflates the blood pressure cuff during the deflation period immediately following the timing period. Preferably, the deflation period occurs during the same oscillation pulse used to calculate the oscillation pulse amplitude to decrease the amount of time required to obtain a blood pressure estimate from the patient.

A blood pressure measurement system that utilizes both a non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitor having a blood pressure cuff and a continuous non-invasive blood pressure (CNIBP) monitor. During operation of the NIBP monitor, the blood pressure cuff is inflated to an initial inflation pressure greater than the systolic blood pressure for the patient being monitored. The CNIBP monitor calculates an estimated blood pressure that is supplied to the NIBP monitor. The NIBP monitor utilizes the continuous, estimated blood pressure to select a target inflation pressure for the blood pressure cuff. During operation of the NIBP monitor, the size of the pressure steps from the initial inflation pressure to a final pressure can be varied based upon the continuous blood pressure estimate from the NIBP monitor.

A physics-based mathematical model is used to estimate central pressure waveforms from measurements of a brachial pressure waveform measured using a supra-systolic cuff. The method has been tested in numerous subjects undergoing cardiac catheterisation. Central pressure agreement was within 11 mm Hg and as good as the published non-invasive blood pressure agreement between the oscillometric device in use and the so-called ''gold standard.'' It also exceeds international standards for the performance of non-invasive blood pressure measurement devices. The method has a number of advantages including simplicity of application, fast calculation and accuracy of prediction. Additionally, model parameters have physical meaning and can therefore be tuned to individual subjects. Accurate estimation of central waveforms also allow continuous measurement (with intermittent calibration) using other non-invasive sensing systems including photoplethysmography.

An apparatus, system and method for collecting non-invasive blood pressure readings from a patient is provided. A non-invasive blood pressure cuff is arranged to be worn about a wrist of a patient and to be operatively connected to a blood pressure monitor. Communication means are operatively connected to the blood pressure cuff the monitor and arranged to automatically communicate a parameter associated with the cuff to the monitor. The monitor is arranged to automatically adjust blood pressure algorithms based upon the parameter to enhance the accuracy of blood pressure readings.