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A finite element analysis of local oscillometric blood pressure measurements
Phillip A Shaltis1, Andrew T Reisner, H Asada
1Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. pshaltis@mit.edu
Abstract:
Traditional circumferential oscillometric blood pressure measurements are based on a complex interplay between the perturbed underlying artery and the surrounding tissue. When there is a balance in pressures acting across the arterial wall, the pulsation amplitude is expected to be a maximum. The purpose of this study was to examine the change in pulsation amplitude for a given pressure resulting from a focally applied compression. A non-linear, two-dimensional finite element analysis of an average fingerbase was used to determine the overall pressure distributions within the finger as well as to compare the feasibility of the focally applied oscillometric approach for blood pressure (BP) measurements. We found that the focally applied pressure appears to lead to only a slight underestimation of the BP (1.5 mmHg). Furthermore, it does not significantly inhibit global bloodflow and should therefore be an acceptable method for long-term blood pressure monitoring.
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Monitoring BP in both arms during the initial assessment is advisable, as the systolic value may differ by five to ten mm Hg between arms. For subsequent BP assessments, use the arm with the higher reading.
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This invasive approach involves cannulating a peripheral artery. During each cardiac contraction, pressure generates mechanical motion within the catheter, transmitted through rigid, fluid-filled tubing to a transducer. This transducer converts mechanical motion into electrical signals displayed as waveforms on a monitor. An automatic flushing system prevents blood backflow. Due to the potential risk of unexpected arterial blood loss, this method is primarily used in intensive...
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