Blood pressure calculation method and device

1. A blood pressure estimation method that estimates systolic blood pressure (EBP) of a subject by using an electronic or computer-mediated information processing means and an electronic or computer-mediated display output means in a real time basis without the use of a cuff, wherein:

(I) said information processing means calculates said estimated EBP according to the formula: EBP=β1·P1+β2·P2+β0 or EBP=β1·1/P1+β2·P2+β0, wherein β1, β2, and β0 are coefficients and P1 and P2 are variables, wherein:

(A) P1 is a parameter that is related to pulse transit time (PTT); and

(B) P2 is a parameter that is related to stroke volume based on pulse waves, wherein parameter P2 is a ratio of a mean first area of a pulsatile systolic area (PSA) of a pulse wave expressed in signal waveform to a mean second area of a remaining area of said pulse wave, and wherein:

(1) said PSA is defined by an area under the curve above a horizontal line extending through a foot point to a vertical line extending through a dicrotic notch (DN) of said pulse wave, and

(2) said remaining area is defined by a portion of an area under the curve from the vertical line extending through the DN and above the horizontal line of said pulse wave to a foot point of a next pulse wave; and

(II) said electronic or computer-mediated display output means outputs said calculated EBP to a display, issues an alarm if the calculated EBP exceeds a pre-determined upper limit or drops below a pre-determined lower limit, and/or sends such output to an external device;

wherein said blood pressure estimation method is capable of providing real-time blood pressure monitoring of said subject.

2. The blood pressure estimation method as defined in claim 1 , wherein blood pressure measurements are obtained from the subject under varied loads, while values for parameter P1 and parameter P2 are measured; the measured values for parameter P1 and parameter P2 are then substituted into the formula to give coefficients β1, β2, and β0 that allow approximation of a change in measured blood pressure.

3. The blood pressure estimation method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the DN is a position where slope of said pulse wave turns from negative to positive between a maximum point of said pulse wave and the foot point of the next pulse wave.

4. The blood pressure estimation method as defined in claim 1 , wherein a change in relative systolic blood pressure (EBP) is calculated using the coefficient β0 as a pre-determined fixed value.

5. A blood pressure estimation method that estimates systolic blood pressure (EBP) of a subject by using an electronic or computer-mediated information processing means and an electronic or computer-mediated display output means in a real time basis without the use of a cuff, wherein:

(I) said information processing means calculates said estimated EBP according to the formula: EBP=β1·P1+β2·P2+β3·P3+β0 or EBP=β1·1/P1+β2·P2+β3·P3+β0 wherein β1, β2, β3, and β0 are coefficients and P1, P2 and P3 are variables, wherein:

(A) P1 is a parameter that is related to pulse transit time (PTT);

(B) P2 is a parameter that is related to stroke volume based on pulse waves, wherein P2 is a ratio of a mean first area of a pulsatile systolic area (PSA) of a pulse wave expressed in signal waveform to a mean second area of a remaining area of said pulse wave, and wherein:

(1) said PSA is defined by an area under the curve above a horizontal line extending through a foot point to a vertical line extending through a dicrotic notch (DN) of said pulse wave, and

(2) said remaining area is defined by a portion of an area under the curve from the vertical line extending through the DN and above the horizontal line of said pulse wave to a foot point of a next pulse wave; and

(C) P3 is a parameter that is related to systole duration based on pulse waves; and

(II) said electronic or computer-mediated display output means outputs said calculated EBP to a display, issues an alarm if the calculated EBP exceeds a pre-determined upper limit or drops below a pre-determined lower limit, and/or sends such output to an external device;

wherein said blood pressure estimation method is capable of providing real-time blood pressure monitoring of said subject.

6. The blood pressure estimation method as defined in claim 5 , wherein blood pressure measurements are obtained from the subject under varied loads, while values for parameter P1, parameter P2, and parameter P3 are measured; the measured values for parameter P1, parameter P2 and parameter P3 are then substituted into the formula to give coefficients β1, β2, β3, and β0 that allow approximation of a change in measured blood pressure.

7. The blood pressure estimation method as defined in claim 5 , wherein the DN is a position where slope of said pulse wave turns from negative to positive between a maximum point of said pulse wave and the foot point of the next pulse wave.

8. The blood pressure estimation method as defined in claim 5 , wherein a change in relative systolic blood pressure (EBP) is calculated using the coefficient β 0 as a pre-determined fixed value.

9. A device for blood pressure estimation, wherein said device comprises:

(A) a first biosignal detection means and a second biosignal detection means that detect biosignals on a subject; and

(B) an electronic or computer-mediated information processing means that comprises:

a P1 calculation means that calculates a parameter P1, which is related to pulse transit time (PTT), from biosignals acquired through the first biosignal detection means and second biosignal detection means; and

a P2 calculation means that calculates a parameter P2, which is related to stroke volume based on pulse waves, from biosignals acquired through either or both of the first biosignal detection means and second biosignal detection means; and

(C) an electronic or computer-mediated display output means;

wherein:

(I) said device estimates electronic or computer-mediated information processing means is capable of calculating said estimated systolic blood pressure (EBP) according to the formula: EBP=β1·P1+β2·P2+β0 or EBP=β1·1/P1+β2·P2+β0, wherein β1, β2, and β0 are coefficients and P1 and P2 are variables;

wherein P2 is a ratio of a mean first area of a pulsatile systolic area (PSA) of a pulse wave expressed in signal waveform to a mean second area of a remaining area of said pulse wave, and wherein:

(1) said PSA is defined by an area under the curve above a horizontal line extending through a foot point to a vertical line extending through a dicrotic notch (DN) of said pulse wave, and

(2) said remaining area is defined by a portion of an area under the curve from the vertical line extending through the DN and above the horizontal line of said pulse wave to a foot point of a next pulse wave;

and wherein the parameter P1 is calculated by the P1 calculation means and parameter P2 is calculated by the P2 calculation means; and

(II) said electronic or computer-mediated display output means is capable of outputting said calculated EBP to a display, of issuing an alarm if the calculated EBP exceeds a pre-determined upper limit or drops below a pre-determined lower limit, and/or of sending such output to an external device.

10. A device for blood pressure estimation as defined in claim 9 , wherein at least either of the first biosignal detection means and second biosignal detection means is a pulse wave sensor that acquires biosignals including pulse waves.

11. A device for blood pressure estimation, wherein said device comprises:

(A) a first biosignal detection means and second biosignal detection means that detect biosignals on a subject;

(B) an electronic or computer-mediated information processing means that comprises:

a P1 calculation means that calculates a parameter P1, which is related to pulse transit time (PTT), from biosignals acquired through the first biosignal detection means and second biosignal detection means;

a P2 calculation means that calculates a parameter P2, which is related to stroke volume based on pulse waves, from biosignals acquired through either or both of the first biosignal detection means and second biosignal detection means; and

a P3 calculation means that calculates a parameter P3, which is related to systole duration based on pulse waves from biosignals acquired through either or both of the first biosignal detection means and second biosignal detection means; and

(C) an electronic or computer-mediated display output means;

wherein:

(I) said electronic or computer-mediated information processing means is capable of calculating said estimated systolic blood pressure (EBP) according to the formula: EBP=β 1 ·P1+β 2 ·P2+β 3 ·P3+β 0 or EBP=β 1 ·1/P1+β 2 ·P2+β 3 ·P3+β 0 , wherein β 1 , β 2 , β 3 , and β 0 are coefficients and P1, P2 and P3 are variables;

wherein P2 is a ratio of a mean first area of a pulsatile systolic area (PSA) of a pulse wave expressed in signal waveform to a mean second area of a remaining area of said pulse wave, and wherein:

(1) said PSA is defined by an area under the curve above a horizontal line extending through a foot point to a vertical line extending through a dicrotic notch (DN) of said pulse wave, and

(2) said remaining area is defined by a portion of an area under the curve from the vertical line extending through the DN and above the horizontal line of said pulse wave to a foot point of a next pulse wave;

and wherein the parameter P1 is calculated by the P1 calculation means, parameter P2 is calculated by the P2 calculation means, and parameter P3 is calculated by the P3 calculation means; and

(II) said electronic or computer-mediated display output means is capable of outputting said calculated EBP to a display, of issuing an alarm if the calculated EBP exceeds a pre-determined upper limit or drops below a pre-determined lower limit, and/or of sending such output to an external device.

12. The device for blood pressure estimation as defined in claim 10 , wherein said pulse wave sensor is a piezoelectric sensor in a sheet form.

13. The device for blood pressure estimation as defined in claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first biosignal detection means and second biosignal detection means is a pulse wave sensor that acquires biosignals including pulse waves.

14. The device for blood pressure estimation as defined in claim 13 , wherein said pulse wave sensor is a piezoelectric sensor in a sheet form.