SYSTEM FOR MEASURING AND MONITORING BLOOD PRESSURE

• US 20160262695A1
• Filed: 10/31/2014
• Published: 09/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Yuanting, Zhang, Quan
• Granted Patent: US 11,850,066 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0223 of calibration, e.g. protocols for calibrating sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/04 Arrangements of multiple sensors of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/12 Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02108 from analysis of pulse wave characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02125 of pulse wave propagation time
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/022 by applying pressure to close blood vessels, e.g. against the skin; Ophthalmodynamometers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/33 specially adapted for cooperation with other devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence

Abstract

A system and method for measuring and monitoring blood pressure is provided. The system includes a wearable device and a tonometry device coupled to the wearable device. The Tonometry device is configured to compress a superficial temporal artery (STA] of a user. A sensor pad is attached to the wearable device adjacent the tonometry device. A blood pressure sensor is integrated within the sensor pad for continuous, unobtrusive blood pressure monitoring.

Claims

1. A blood pressure measurement and monitoring device, the device comprising:

a wearable device;

a tonometry device coupled to the wearable device and configured to compress a superficial temporal artery (STA);

a sensor pad attached to the wearable device and adjacent the tonometry device; and

a blood pressure sensor integrated within the sensor pad for continuous, unobtrusive blood pressure monitoring.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the wearable device includes at least one of a hat, a headband, and headphones.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the wearable device includes a pair of glasses having a frame and a pair of temples.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein at least one of a width of the frame and a length of temples are adjustable.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the blood pressure sensor is a blood pressure sensor array including at least one of testing sensors and reference sensors.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the blood pressure sensor is a piezoresistive sensor.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising at least one hemodynamic sensor coupled to the wearable device, the at least one hemodynamic sensor configured to measure at least one tissue hemodynamic signal.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising at least one set of pulse transit time (PTT) sensors and pulse wave velocity (PWV) sensors, the at least one PTT sensors and PWV sensors configured to measure at least one of a time and a speed of a cardiac pulse propagation along the STA.

9. The device of claim 1 further comprising at least one event button coupled to the wearable device for indentifying a start and stop time of an activity.

10. The device of claim 1 further comprising an electronic control unit coupled to the wearable device.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the electronic control unit is configured to provide wireless communication to an Electronic Health Record system.

12. The device of claim 1 further comprising auxiliary sensors integrated within the wearable device.

13. A method for monitoring blood pressure, the method comprising the steps of:

compressing the superficial temporal artery (STA) using a tonometer;

sensing cardiac pulses of the STA with at least one blood pressure sensor;

receiving the sensed cardiac pulses from the blood pressure sensor;

providing the sensed cardiac pulses into an algorithm stored on an electronic control unit; and

displaying an arterial blood pressure measurement from the algorithm on a user interface.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

measuring at least one of tissue elasticity and hold-down pressure drift with a reference sensor;

receiving the tissue elasticity and hold-down pressure drift measurements from the reference sensor; and

providing the tissue elasticity and hold-down pressure drift measurements into the algorithm stored on the electronic control unit.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

measuring at least one tissue hemodynamic signal with a hemodynamic sensor; and

combining the at least one tissue hemodynamic signal measurement with a reference for sensor calibration to determine a measurement for arterial blood pressure.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of recording an electrocardiograph (ECG) waveform with an ECG sensor and determining a pulse transit time or pulse wave velocity.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of providing the pulse transit time or pulse wave velocity into the algorithm stored on the electronic control unit to determine a measurement for arterial blood pressure.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of combining the arterial blood pressure measurements associated with the at least one blood pressure sensor, hemodynamic sensor, and ECG sensor using a multi-modality algorithm to acquire an ABP measurement.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the STA is compressed to provide maximum cardiac pulsation through the STA.

20. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of transmitting the blood pressure measurement to at least one of an Electronic Health Record system, a mobile device, and an electronic database.