Accurate blood pressure measurement

The current clinical problem: raised arterial blood pressure (hypertension) is the third leading cause of death worldwide. Cardiovascular disease causes 17 million deaths per annum globally with complications arising from high blood pressure accounting for 9.4 million, split evenly between stroke and heart disease (World Health Organization, Global Status Report on non-communicable diseases 2014, "Attaining the nine global non-communicable diseases targets; a shared responsibility"). The WHO reported that 'Cardiovascular disease causes more than half of all deaths across the European Region'. The first important step in correctly diagnosing hypertension is in the accurate measurement of blood pressure (BP). This research project will result in an effective diagnostic device that will have the potential to displace all current devices on the market.

There is a worldwide need for accurate blood pressure measurement. The "gold standard" is the manual method, with an experienced clinician listening to the stethoscope Korotkoff sounds and viewing a cuff pressure scale. However, this is increasingly being underused because of the training needed and the time required for the measurement in busy clinics, and is almost never used for self measurement at home. The current undesirable move to replace manual by automated devices (they all unfortunately use the oscillometric technique) can result in radically different measurements on the same patient for different devices. Inaccurate measurement is such a problem that the UK Department of Health has had to issue several Warning Notices about current automated devices.

The aim of our research is to develop a novel technique for accurately and automatically measuring blood pressure. Our previous EPSRC research made observations that are now the basis of this proposed research, and were sufficiently novel to enable a patent application.

Working with our Industrial Partner will enable this research development to be taken to a marketable product available for hospital or home use.

The ultimate benefit will be for patients and clinicians who will be able to diagnose high blood pressure and monitor treatment more effectively than now. Since the technology is a radically new departure it will open up avenues for academic research in engineering and clinical medicine.

The most important impact will be for patients who suffer from high blood pressure, who stand to have their blood pressure better monitored, and be given more appropriate treatment. It will stimulate further the use of home monitoring devices, which with reliable and stable measurements will encourage patients to change their lifestyle to reduce their blood pressure. Reliable measurements will be welcomed by clinical and nursing staff, who will have better monitoring, and better confidence in the treatment selected. It will enable automated measurements to be made with confidence, freeing up some time during medical consultations. Overall this should lead to improved public health.

There will be an impact on how new drugs are evaluated, simplifying the clinical trials, and potentially bringing new drugs to the market quicker.

The greatest financial impact will be with manufacturers of medical devices that manufacture blood pressure devices, who may need to make significant changes in their production.

impact will be made on international standards, and the testing and validation of these devices will need to change.