Using the Changes in Hydrostatic Pressure and Pulse Transit Time to Measure Arterial Blood Pressure

Abstract

The pulse transit time (PTT)-based method has been proposed as a noninvasive and cuffless alternative for monitoring blood pressure (BP). Yet, a major challenge of the technology is to overcome the requirement of individual calibration. In this study, we aim to explore the possibility of using the changes in hydrostatic pressure and PTT for estimating BP without a calibrating procedure. Eight subjects (aged 35+/-15 years) participated in the study and their PTT were recorded during an arm movement exercise. The results of the study found that PTT increases correspondingly with the height of the arm the subjects raised. Moreover, the calculated changes in PTT agree with that derived from the theoretical model using parameter values which were previously reported in literature. To conclude, the cuffless approach presented in this paper is potentially useful for the estimation of arterial BP.