Development of a new oscillometric blood pressure measurement system

A new blood pressure measurement system was developed, based on the oscillometric method using a controlled linear deflation technique. The system was structured in order to make several tasks independent and specialized, thus allowing for future punctual developments. An oscillometric signal data base was formed according to the standard ANSI/AAMI/SP10-1992, using the manual auscultatory method as a reference to determine measurement techniques to be used. The correlation among several quantities such as reference blood pressure measurements, characteristic ratios, age, weight, height and arm circumference size, was studied. A new strategy to obtain systolic mean and diastolic pressures was an oscillometric pulse envelope, depending on parameters such as actual cuff pressure, mean pressure, pulse amplitude and arm circumference size. Mean differences of about -1,49 and 0,61 and standard deviations of 5,11 and 5,89 mmHg were obtained for systolic and diastolic pressure measurements, respectively. Moreover, a comparative study with commercial equipment was performed, with a simulator.