Importance

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Abstract

The system enables ambulatory monitoring of a patient's blood pressure and heart rate without the need for the patient to wear a portable magnetic tape recorder. The system takes the place of the tape recorder. ECG electrodes and a blood pressure cuff are affixed to the patient and are connected to a blood pressure measuring apparatus worn by the patient. The Data Acquisition and Storage System (DAS) is connected to the blood pressure measuring apparatus and includes a solid state storage device in which the successive measurements are stored. After the monitoring session, which may last 24 hours, the patient returns to the clinic, where the DAS is connected to a stationary charter that prints and plots the stored data in tabular and graphical form. The DAS includes a clock for determining the time of day at which the successive blood pressure readings are taken, and these times are stored along with the data. The clock is kept running even when the blood pressure measuring apparatus is disconnected from the DAS, so that when connection is reestablished the elapsed time can be determined. The clock also permits the heart rate to be determined and stored by the DAS. In the event the voltage of the source that powers the DAS should fall below a preset level, the DAS goes into a dormant mode to conserve power and prevent erroneous calculations. In the dormant mode the data stored in the solid state storage device is preserved.

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