Patent ID: 6612993
Filing Date: 2003-09-02
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
An apparatus for evaluating a degree of arteriosclerosis of a living subject, comprising:a pulse-wave-propagation-velocity-related-information obtaining device which obtains pulse-wave-propagation-velocity-related information that is related to a velocity at which a pulse wave propagates in the subject; a pulse-wave sensor which is adapted to be worn on a body portion of the subject and detects the pulse wave from the body portion; an augmentation-related-information obtaining means for obtaining augmentation-related information that is related to an augmentation of an amplitude of the pulse wave detected by the pulse-wave sensor from an amplitude of an incident-wave component which is contained in the pulse wave; and an arteriosclerosis evaluating means for evaluating the degree of arteriosclerosis of the subject, based on the pulse-wave-propagation-velocity-related information obtained by the pulse-wave-propagation-velocity-related-information obtaining device and the augmentation-related information obtained by the augmentation-related-information obtaining means, according to a prescribed relationship between (A) (a1) pulse-wave-propagation-velocity-related information and (a2) augmentation-elated information and (B) degree of arteriosclerosis.