Continuous recording of direct high fidelity arterial pressure and electrocardiogram in ambulant patients.

ABSTRACT

A system providing high quality direct arterial blood pressure recordings and electrocardiograms in ambulatory patients was devised using a modified commercially available Holter type magnetic tape recorder together with a microminiature Millar (3F) tip transducer. This system did not require a perfusion line and solved the major drawbacks of other available systems. Pressure and electrocardiographic data were fed directly from the playback unit into a minicomputer for automatic beat to beat waveform analysis. Thus the blood pressure and RR interval variability signals could be simultaneously analysed with autoregressive modelling techniques to provide a quantitative estimate of sympathovagal balance in ambulant patients. The system was reliable, simple, and safe to use.