The consequences of high blood pressure are one of the most common causes of death worldwide. Despite this, according to the World Health Organization WHO, fewer than one in two of those affected measures their blood pressure regularly. The main reason for this is that regular measurements are costly. An innovative wrist sensor should now change that.
Measuring and monitoring blood pressure is a tedious business for
patients. It usually involves a cuff which is activated every 15 minutes
over several hours and compresses the upper arm, a cumbersome measuring
device on the body, or in some cases even invasive monitoring, in which
a catheter is inserted into the artery. It is no wonder that those
affected avoid this procedure if at all possible.
A new sensor hardly bigger than a wristwatch should soon offer a more pleasant method for measuring blood pressure. The company STBL Medical Research AG (STBL) has developed a device that can be worn comfortably on the wrist and records the blood pressure continuously – with no pressure cuff or invasive procedure. The measurement is carried out by several sensors which simultaneously measure the contact pressure, pulse and blood flow on the surface of the skin in the vicinity of the wrist. Michael Tschudin, co-founder of STBL, sees great potential for the device: "This measuring device can be used for medical purposes, for example as a precaution for high-risk patients or for treating high blood pressure, but also as a blood pressure and heart rate monitor for leisure activities and sports as well as for monitoring fitness in high-level sports."
Empa sensor greatly increases measuring accuracy
Engineers
had one particular obstacle to overcome in this new technology: the
pressure of the device on the skin changes constantly, meaning that
highly sensitive correctional measurements are necessary. Empa's
Laboratory for High Performance Ceramics sought a suitable solution to
this problem within the scope of a CTI project. A sensor made from
piezo-resistive fibres in the wristband measures the contact pressure of
the device on the skin. Changes in signal strength due to slippage or
muscle tension could lead to incorrect measurements. It is these changes
that the Empa sensor registers – enabling the measurements to be
corrected accordingly. The fibre is electrically conductive, detects any
movement or change in pressure, converts this into an electrical signal
and transmits this to the measuring device. This enables the measuring
accuracy of the "blood pressure watch" to be increased by more than 70
per cent. "Four years ago, we produced the first prototype," says Doctor
Frank Clemens of Empa's "Laboratory for High Performance Ceramics".
Since then, relevant tests have confirmed the functionality of the
sensors. Empa is now working flat out to integrate the piezo-sensor into
the device in a way that is not only more attractive; it should also be
easy to install without too much effort. Possible methods include
glueing, laminating or weaving it in.
Emergency assistance on your wrist
The market for
a device of this type is enormous. Cardiovascular diseases are the most
common cause of death worldwide. More than a billion people should be
measuring their blood pressure daily in order to avoid the possible
consequences of hypertension. As a result, around 60 to 70 million
measuring devices are sold annually - however, these do not allow
continuous measurement. In contrast, constant measurement could provide
additional safety margins; in cases where there is a possibility of an
imminent heart attack or stroke, the system could give early warning
signals. This is because a heart attack, like a stroke, is preceded by
an increased pressure wave, which the system records and analyses. This
would enable emergency measures to be taken before anything more serious
happened. In order to constantly improve accuracy during such events,
further test runs on humans are planned.
However, constant
measurement offers additional advantages, as Professor Thomas Lüscher,
Director of the Clinic for Cardiology at the University Hospital Zurich
and co-founder of STBL, explains: "It gives us the opportunity to record
blood pressure in the patient's natural environment. The patient is not
limited in terms of his freedom of movement." The "fear of white
coats", i.e. nervousness of the patient around doctors, which can
distort measurements, is eliminated with the new method.
Clinical trials are currently under way. The first measurements have already been taken in parallel with a catheter procedure – with very promising results. The product should initially be supplied in two versions: a medical monitoring device and a "slimmed down" version for leisure use by sportsmen and women and ordinary people. "The sensor will be cheaper than existing 24-hour monitoring devices, such as those currently used in hospitals", confirms Tschudin. Such devices cost up to 6,000 Swiss francs, the "blood pressure watch" around ten times less.
Source: EMPA