# US 2005/0159663 A1 · Method and device for measuring peripheral vascular function > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2005/0159663 A1 - Document ID: US20050159663A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 10/759,130 - Filed: 2004-01-20 - Published: 2005-07-21 - Earliest claimed: 2004-01-20 - Assignees: Smithmarks, Inc. - Inventors: Michael Smith; Lloyd Marks - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20050159663A1 ## CPC - A61B 5/021: Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A patient's peripheral pulse volume and blood pressure are measured. The quantities are used to obtain a quantitative measure of peripheral vascular function. The quantitative measure can be one or more of pulsatile limb blood flow, total limb blood flow, limb vascular compliance and limb vascular resistance. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for quantitatively assessing a peripheral vascular function in a limb of a patient, the method comprising: (a) measuring a peripheral pulse volume PV in the limb of the patient; (b) measuring a blood pressure of the patient; and (c) calculating a quantity representing the peripheral vascular function in the limb, using the peripheral pulse volume PV measured in step (a) and the blood pressure measured in step (b). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises: (i) measuring a diastolic blood pressure DBP of the patient; (ii) measuring a systolic blood pressure SBP of the patient; and (iii) calculating a pulse pressure PP of the patient as PP=SBP−DBP. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising measuring a heart rate HR of the patient, and wherein step (c) comprises calculating the quantity also using the heart rate HR. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein step (c) comprises calculating a pulsatile flow PF as PF=PV×HR. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein step (c) further comprises calculating a vascular resistance R as PPIPF. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein: step (b) further comprises calculating a mean blood pressure MBP; and step (c) further comprises calculating a total flow TF as TF=PF×MBP/PP. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein step (c) further comprises calculating a vascular resistance R as R=MBP/TF. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein step (c) comprises calculating a vascular compliance C as C=PV/PP. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a display to display the quantity calculated in step (c). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a storage device to store the quantity calculated in step (c) for later review. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the quantity calculated in step (c) over a communication link to a remote location for review. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a), (b) and (c) are performed using an integrated device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: step (a) is performed using a pulse volume meter; step (b) is performed using a blood pressure monitor which is provided separately from the pulse volume meter; and step (c) is performed using a computing device which is provided separately from the pulse volume meter and the blood pressure monitor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the peripheral pulse volume and the blood pressure are input automatically into the computing device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the peripheral pulse volume and the blood pressure are input manually into the computing device. ### Claim 16 A system for quantitatively assessing a peripheral vascular function in a limb of a patient, the system comprising: a pulse volume meter for measuring a peripheral pulse volume PV in the limb of the patient; a blood pressure monitor for measuring a blood pressure of the patient; and a computing device for receiving the peripheral pulse volume and the blood pressure and for calculating a quantity representing the peripheral vascular function in the limb, using the peripheral pulse volume and the blood pressure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the blood pressure monitor measures a diastolic blood pressure DBP of the patient and a systolic blood pressure SBP of the patient and calculates a pulse pressure PP of the patient as PP=SBP−DBP. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the computing device also receives a heart rate HR of the patient and calculates the quantity also using the heart rate HR. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the computing device also calculates a pulsatile flow PF as PF=PV×HR. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the computing device also calcualtes a vascular resistance R as PP/PF. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein: the blood pressure monitor calculates a mean blood pressure MBP; and the computing device also calculates a total flow TF as TF=PF×MBP/PP. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the computing device calculates a vascular resistance R as R=MBP/TF. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the computing device calculates a vascular compliance C as C=PV/PP. ### Claim 24 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the computing device comprises a display for displaying the quantity calculated by the computing device. ### Claim 25 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the computing device comprises a storage device for storing the quantity calculated by the computing device. ### Claim 26 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the computing device comprises a communication link for transmitting the quantity calculated by the computing device over a communication link to a remote location for review. ### Claim 27 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the pulse volume meter, the blood pressure monitor and the computing device are comprised in an integrated device. ### Claim 28 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the pulse volume meter, the blood pressure monitor and the computing device are separate devices. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, wherein the pulse volume meter, the blood pressure monitor and the computing device are in communication with one another such that the peripheral pulse volume and the blood pressure are input automatically into the computing device. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, wherein the peripheral pulse volume and the blood pressure are input manually into the computing device.