Method and device for measuring systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate in an environment with extreme levels of noise and vibrations

Abstract

A method and a device for measuring systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate in an environment comprising extreme levels of noise and vibrations is disclosed. Blood pressure signals corresponding to the Korotkoff sounds are detected using a first acoustic sensor, or array of sensors, placed on the patient's skin over the brachial artery. A second acoustic transducer is placed on the outside of a pressure cuff the patient away for detecting noise and vibrations. Pressure is applied to the artery using the pressure cuff forcing the artery to close. The pressure is then reduced and while reducing the pressure the acoustic signals detected by the first and second acoustic sensor as well as a signal indicative of the pressure applied to the artery are provided to a processor. The signal of the first acoustic sensor is then processed using an adaptive interferer canceller algorithm with the signal of the second acoustic sensor as interferer. From the processed signal heart beat pulses are determined and relating the heart beat pulses to the pressure signal provides the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Use of the adaptive interferer canceller provides good results for measurements performed under extreme levels of noise and vibrations such as aboard a helicopter, naval vessels, ambulances and noisy emergency rooms.