Quantification of intermittent function of baroreflex from continuous arterial pressure data

A method for classification of hypertension comprising:

• sensing, by a wearable sensor assembly having a sensor, continuous blood pressure data of a subject, wherein the continuous blood pressure data is indicative of a blood pressure of the subject, wherein the continuous blood pressure data comprises arterial pressure data and heart rate data of the subject;
• obtaining, by a processor in communication with the wearable sensor assembly, the continuous blood pressure data;
• performing, by the processor, time-series analysis on the continuous blood pressure data by extracting, for each cardiac cycle, arterial pressure data and pulse interval data, fitting the arterial pressure data and pulse interval data to a model of a baroreflex arc to generate model-predicted heart rate changes within a fixed time window centered at each cardiac cycle, and comparing the model-predicted heart rate changes to observed heart rate changes to determine, by the processor and from the continuous blood pressure data, one or more durations of baroreflex on functionality and baroreflex off functionality, wherein the processor performs the time-series analysis concurrently with receiving the continuous blood pressure data,
• wherein the fixed time window is twenty seconds or less and the cardiac cycle being analyzed is positioned at a midpoint of the fixed time window,
• wherein determining the one or more durations of baroreflex on functionality comprises identifying durations of time in the continuous blood pressure data wherein the blood pressure data and the heart rate data are correlated based on the comparison of model-predicted heart rate changes to observed heart rate changes falling within a defined boundary region and wherein determining the one or more durations of baroreflex off functionality comprises identifying durations of time in the continuous blood pressure data wherein the blood pressure data and the heart rate data are not correlated based on the comparison falling outside the defined boundary region;
• determining, by the processor, an indicator of hypertension from the one or more durations of baroreflex on functionality and baroreflex off functionality, wherein the indicator of hypertension is one of a likelihood of developing hypertension, a prediction of an onset of hypertension, an identification of etiology of hypertension, a prediction to a responsiveness of a treatment, or an identification of a dysfunction associated with autonomic regulation of heart rate;
• and
• transmitting the indicator of hypertension to a treatment system for adjustment of a treatment.

An apparatus comprising:

• a wearable sensor assembly attachable to a subject, and comprising a sensor that measures continuous blood pressure data of the subject, the continuous blood pressure data indicative of a blood pressure of the subject;
• a signal processor configured to:
• receive the continuous blood pressure data from the wearable sensor assembly;
• perform time-series analysis on the continuous blood pressure by extracting, for each cardiac cycle, arterial pressure data and pulse interval data, fitting the arterial pressure data and pulse interval data to a model of a baroreflex arc to generate model-predicted heart rate changes within a fixed time window centered at each cardiac cycle, and comparing the model-predicted heart rate changes to observed heart rate changes to determine, from the continuous blood pressure data, one or more durations of baroreflex on functionality and baroreflex off functionality,
• wherein the signal processor performs the time-series analysis concurrently with receiving the continuous blood pressure data,
• wherein the fixed time window is twenty seconds or less and the cardiac cycle being analyzed is positioned at a midpoint of the fixed time window;
• analyze the one or more durations of baroreflex on functionality and baroreflex off functionality to determine an indicator of hypertension, wherein the indicator of hypertension is one of a likelihood of developing hypertension, a prediction of an onset of hypertension, an identification of etiology of hypertension, a prediction to a responsiveness of a treatment, or an identification of a dysfunction associated with autonomic regulation of heart rate;
• and
• transmit the indicator of hypertension to a treatment system for adjustment of a treatment.