Patent ID: 6719704
Filing Date: 2004-04-13
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A vascular-endothelial-cell-function evaluating apparatus comprising:a pressing device including a cuff that is adapted to be worn on a first portion of a living subject, and a cuff-pressure changing device that changes a pressure in the cuff so as to press the first portion of the subject in a pressing period; a pulse-wave detecting device that detects a pulse wave including a plurality of heartbeat-synchronous pulses, from the first portion of the subject, or a second portion of the subject located on a distal side of the first portion; and a pulse-wave-second-half-information obtaining device that obtains a plurality of sets of pulse-wave-second-half information that represent respective characteristics of respective second-half portions of respective heartbeat-synchronous pulses of the pulse wave that are detected by the pulse-wave detecting device at respective different times, the respective second-half portions of the respective heartbeat-synchronous pulses being respective portions of the respective pulses that are subsequent to respective peak points of the respective pulses, the pulse-wave-second-half-information obtaining device providing a time-wise change of the sets of pulse-wave-second-half information that is caused by the pressing of the pressing device.