Thermoregulatory manipulation of systemic blood pressure
AssigneeBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System
InventorsKenneth R. Diller, Sepideh Khoshnevis, Laura Hemmen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and/or method for proactively inducing a significant drop in blood pressure during sleep is provided herein. The system includes a blood pressure monitor and a stimulating device that provides stimulation to at least a portion of the person's body. For example, the stimulating device may stimulate a portion of the person's body corresponding to the person's peripheral thermoregulatory control tissue. The stimulation increases or maintains blood flow in the person's glabrous tissue. Additionally, the stimulating device provides stimulation in response to the person's blood pressure being above a predetermined threshold.
Claims28
A system for modifying a person's blood pressure, comprising:
- a stimulating device to provide stimulation to at least a portion of the person's body, wherein said stimulation lowers the person's blood pressure by increasing or maintaining blood flow in the person's glabrous tissue;
- a blood pressure monitor to monitor a blood pressure of the person;
- a temperature sensor to determine a temperature of the person's glabrous tissue;
- and
- a control system comprising a controller, the controller comprising a logic processor that is configured to:
- receive a first blood pressure measurement from the blood pressure monitor,
- compare the first blood pressure measurement to a predetermined threshold,
- receive a temperature measurement of the person's glabrous tissue from the temperature sensor,
- compare the received temperature measurement to stored data regarding a natural circadian cycle of temperature variation,
- determine whether to modify the stimulation based on comparing the first blood pressure measurement to the predetermined threshold and comparing the received temperature measurement to the stored data regarding the natural circadian cycle of temperature variation, and
- if a modification is needed, transmit a first instruction to adjust the stimulation, wherein the stimulating device adjusts the stimulation enough to lower the person's blood pressure below the predetermined threshold in response to the first instruction.
A method for modifying a person's blood pressure, comprising:
- receiving a first blood pressure measurement of a person using a blood pressure monitor;
- comparing the first blood pressure measurement to a predetermined threshold;
- receiving a temperature measurement of the person's glabrous tissue from a temperature sensor,
- comparing the received temperature measurement to stored data regarding a natural circadian cycle of temperature variation,
- determining whether to modify a stimulation based on comparing the first blood pressure measurement to the predetermined threshold and comparing the received temperature measurement to the stored data regarding the natural circadian cycle of temperature variation;
- and
- if a modification is needed, transmitting a first instruction to adjust a warming stimulus to at least a portion of the person's body enough to lower the person's blood pressure below the predetermined threshold by increasing or maintaining blood flow in the person's glabrous tissue, wherein the warming stimulus is adjusted in response to the first instruction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.