DIASTOLIC PRESSURE DETERMINATION BY PHASE DISCRIMINATION

RECENT RECOGNITION OF THE HEALTH HAZARD ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE AND MILD HYPERTENSION HAS PROMPTED CLINICIANS TO CONSIDER DRUG THERAPY EVEN IN CASES INVOLVING ONLY MODERATELY ELEVATED DISATOLIC PRESSURE. CONSEQUENTLY, AN ACCURATE DETERMINATION OF THE DIASTOLIC PRESSURE BECOMES INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT AND DESIRABLE. A TECHNIQUE BASED ON PHASE DISCRIMINATION IS DESCRIBED WHICH WOULD ALLOW DETERMINATION OF THE DIASTOLIC PRESSURE WITHOUT THE DILEMMA OF CHOOSING BETWEEN PHASE IV, PHASE V, AND OTHER CRITERIA. WHEN A RIVA-ROCCI CUFF IS INFLATED, A TIME LAG GENERALLY EXISTS BETWEEN THE ARRIVAL OF THE ARTERIAL UPSTROKE AND THE GENERATION OF KOROTKOFF VIBRATION. THIS TIME LAG DECREASES STEADILY AS THE CUFF PRESSURE IS LOWERED, AND DIMINISHES AS THE CUFF PRESSURE APPROACHES THE TRUE DIASTOLIC PRESSURE.THE DIMINUTION OF THIS TIME LAG IS EASILY DETECTABLE ELECTRONICALLY AND CAN BE A MORE OBJECTIVE, RELIABLE AND ACCURATE CRITERIUM FOR DIASTOLIC PRESSURE INDEXING. THIS TECHNIQUE, BASED ON TIME MEASUREMENTS, IS ALSO IDEALLY SUITED FOR INDIRECT DIASTOLIC PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS IN INFANTS, SHOCK PATIENTS, DURING CARDIAC STRESS TESTING, AND OTHER SITUATIONS WHERE AUSCULTATION BY HUMANS IS MOST DIFFICULT AND UNRELIABLE. A PROGRAM FOR PRELIMINARY VERIFICATION OF THIS NEW TECHNIQUE HAS BEEN PRESENTED. THE RESEARCH MAY SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE AND ENHANCE THE BASIC TECHNIQUE OF INDIRECT BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENT.