Passive/non-invasive systemic and pulmonary blood pressure measurement
First Claim
1. An apparatus for monitoring blood pressure comprising:
- a means for detecting audio signals, where the audio signals are physiological sounds selected from the group consisting of aortic semilunar valve closure, pulmonary semilunar valve closure, and both aortic semilunar valve closure and pulmonary semilunar valve closure;
a means for processing the audio signals, connected to the audio signal detecting means and resulting in processed audio signals;
a means for processed audio signal storage, connected to the audio signal processing means;
a means for monitoring the processed audio signals, connected to the signal processing means; and
a means for determining blood pressure based upon the monitored processed audio signals.
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Abstract
An apparatus, operation and method for measurement of systemic and/or pulmonic blood pressure. The present invention offers a passive non-invasive method and system that can be used where measurement of systemic pressure with a traditional blood pressure cuff is contraindicated. The present invention also affords a means for early diagnosis and opportunity for intervention in patients with no symptoms or signs of elevated pulmonary blood pressure that can be performed as part of a routine physical exam. The present invention accomplishes this non-invasive measurement through detection, identification and characterization of the second heart sound acoustic signature associated with heart valve closure. An apparatus for measuring systemic and/or pulmonic blood pressure in accordance with the present invention includes a sensor assembly comprising a housing, an electronic module, a shock dampener, a mounting means, a transducer, an acoustic coupling and a back cover. The sensor assembly is connected to a data acquisition module which in turn is connected to a signal processing means, a remote connection means and a monitor. An improved acoustic coupling is disclosed that provides low-loss acoustic transmission coupling between the skin of the patient and the detector.
115 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An apparatus for monitoring blood pressure comprising:
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a means for detecting audio signals, where the audio signals are physiological sounds selected from the group consisting of aortic semilunar valve closure, pulmonary semilunar valve closure, and both aortic semilunar valve closure and pulmonary semilunar valve closure; a means for processing the audio signals, connected to the audio signal detecting means and resulting in processed audio signals; a means for processed audio signal storage, connected to the audio signal processing means; a means for monitoring the processed audio signals, connected to the signal processing means; and a means for determining blood pressure based upon the monitored processed audio signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An apparatus for determining a physiological condition comprising:
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an acoustic coupling; a transducer connected to the acoustic coupling, where the acoustic coupling is adapted to provide coupling between the skin of a patient and the transducer and where the transducer converts detected physiological sounds selected from the group consisting of aortic semilunar valve closure, pulmonary semilunar valve closure, and both aortic semilunar valve closure and pulmonary semilunar valve closure sounds into electronic signals; an electronic modules connected to the transducer, where the electronic module detects and processes the electronic signals; a data cable connected to the electronic module, where the data cable couples the electronic module with a data acquisition module, and where the data acquisition module performs at least one operation upon the electronic signals selected from the group of operations consisting of signal filtering, impedance matching, amplification and buffering to create modified electronic signals; and a physiologic condition determining means connected to the acquisition module for determining said physiological condition. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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Specification