Nibp target inflation pressure automation using derived spo2 signals

A method of operating a non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitor having a central processor, a blood pressure cuff positionable on an arm of the patient and a pressure transducer operable to detect oscillation pulses beneath the blood pressure cuff, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a pulse monitor having a sensor positioned to detect a pulse waveform having a plurality of pulses from the patient representative of the patient's heartbeat;
• positioning a blood pressure cuff on an arm of the patient;
• positioning the sensor of the pulse monitor on the same arm of the patient and anatomically distal to the blood pressure cuff;
• inflating the blood pressure cuff to begin to occlude an artery in the arm of the patient;
• calculating a second derivative of the pulse waveform during inflation of the blood pressure cuff;
• terminating the inflation of the blood pressure cuff based upon characteristics of the calculated second derivative of the pulse waveform to define an initial inflation pressure for the blood pressure cuff;
• decreasing the pressure in the blood pressure cuff from the initial inflation pressure while monitoring for oscillation pulses from the pressure transducer;
• and
• calculating the systolic pressure, mean arterial pressure and diastolic pressure for the patient based upon the cuff oscillation pulses detected during the deflation of the blood pressure cuff.

A system for determining the blood pressure of a patient, comprising:

• a non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitor including a central processor and a display;
• a blood pressure cuff positionable on the patient, the blood pressure cuff being selectively inflatable and deflatable by the NIBP monitor;
• a pressure transducer operable to measure the pressure within the blood pressure cuff and coupled to the central processor, the pressure transducer being operable to detect oscillation pulses from the patient;
• and
• a pulse monitoring system having a sensor positionable on the patient to detect pulse signals from the patient due to the patient's heartbeat,
• wherein the central processor calculates a second derivative of the pulse signals and controls the inflation of the blood pressure cuff based upon the calculated second derivative.