Automated process for assessing cardiac filling pressure non-invasively

A method for automating a process for determining cardiac filling pressure non-invasively, comprising:

• programming a computer readable medium to execute steps comprising:
• analyzing a photoplethysmography signal having a pulse amplitude, said analyzing being done to determine a point in time that the pulse amplitude of the photoplethysmography signal does not vary by a predetermined amount over a first predetermined time period;
• transmitting a first instruction to be displayed on a user interface, said first instruction informing a user that a second instruction to initiate an expiratory effort will be displayed;
• transmitting the second instruction to be displayed on the user interface, said second instruction informing the user to begin an expiratory effort;
• comparing the expiratory effort of the user to a predetermined goal range for expiratory effort;
• and
• transmitting a third instruction to be displayed on the user interface, said third instruction indicating the user's expiratory effort relative to the predetermined goal range on the user interface.

An apparatus for automating a process for determining cardiac filling pressure non-invasively, comprising:

• a device including a housing, said device including a user interface disposed within said housing, an expiratory effort reception apparatus being coupled to said housing, a photoplethysmograph, and a computer readable medium, wherein said computer readable medium is programmed with steps comprising:
• analyzing a signal from the photoplethysmograph, said signal having a pulse amplitude, said analyzing being done to determine a point in time that the pulse amplitude of the signal does not vary by a predetermined amount over a first predetermined time period;
• transmitting a first instruction to be displayed on a user interface, said first instruction informing a user that a second instruction to initiate an expiratory effort will be displayed;
• transmitting the second instruction to be displayed on the user interface, said second instruction informing the user to begin an expiratory effort;
• comparing the expiratory effort of the user to a predetermined goal range for expiratory effort;
• and
• transmitting a third instruction to be displayed on the user interface, said third instruction indicating the user's expiratory effort relative to the predetermined goal range on the user interface.