Variations of Heart Rate, Pulse Arrival Time and Blood Pressure in a Versatile Laboratory Protocol

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Research

Background:

• Blood pressure (BP) modeling studies often use single provocation methods.
• A comprehensive laboratory protocol integrating multiple physiological stressors is needed for robust BP modeling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a versatile laboratory protocol combining various physiological provocations (controlled breathing, mental arithmetic, Stroop tests, Valsalva maneuver, cold pressor, muscle tension).
• To investigate the impact of these combined provocations on heart rate (HR), BP, and pulse arrival time (PAT).
• To assess the feasibility of predicting systolic BP using PAT measurements within this protocol.

Main Methods:

• A laboratory protocol was designed incorporating controlled breathing, mental arithmetic, Stroop tests, Valsalva maneuver, cold pressor, and muscle tension.
• Measurements included ECG and photoplethysmography (PPG) for HR and PAT, and a continuous fingercuff monitor for BP.
• A linear prediction model was developed to estimate systolic BP from PAT values using calibration and all data points.

Main Results:

• Cold pressor and muscle tension significantly impacted HR, BP, and PAT.
• Valsalva maneuver showed a strong but transient effect on HR and PAT.
• Mental tasks had minimal impact on measured cardiovascular parameters.
• Systolic BP prediction from PAT achieved a correlation of 0.91 with calibration points and 0.75 with all data points.

Conclusions:

• The developed protocol effectively elicits varied cardiovascular responses using a combination of physiological stressors.
• Cold pressor and muscle tension are potent stimuli for altering HR, BP, and PAT.
• PAT shows potential for non-invasive systolic BP prediction, though model accuracy varies with data inclusion.