Patent ID: 6402696
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method for measuring systolic blood pressure in a subject, the method comprising:(a) generating a first signal indicative of cardiac induced pulsatile variations in tissue blood volume in a first region of the subject's body; (b) applying a pressure cuff to a second region of the subject's body proximal with respect to said first region; (c) increasing a pressure within said pressure cuff to a pressure sufficient to prevent sensing of cardiac induced pulsatile variations in tissue blood volume in said first region; (d) reducing a pressure within said pressure cuff; and (e) identifying as a systolic blood pressure of the subject a cuff pressure at which said cardiac induced pulsatile variations in tissue blood volume in said first region are found to restart, wherein said increasing of pressure within said pressure cuff is performed such that it takes at least 10 seconds for the cuff pressure to reach 100 mmHg, and such that the average rate of increase is at least 20 mmHg per second from 100 mmHg up to said pressure sufficient to prevent sensing of cardiac induced pulsatile variations.