Method for diagnosing, monitoring and treating hypertension and other cardiac problems

A method for determining peripheral resistance of a patient, comprising the steps of:

• (1) gathering cardiovascular information from a patient non-invasively, the cardiovascular information comprising a data stream having pressure data and pulsation signal data to obtain a series of waveforms, the data stream further comprising pulsation signal data taken at least at each of:
• 1. a supra-systolic pressure,
• 2. a systolic pressure,
• 3. a diastolic pressure, and
• 4. a sub-diastolic pressure;
• (2) determining the patient's systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure from the gathered cardiovascular condition information;
• and
• (3) using at least one of the determined diastolic, systolic and mean arterial pressures to determine the patient's peripheral resistance.

A device for determining peripheral resistance of a patient, the device comprising:

• (1) a non-invasive unit for gathering cardiovascular information from a patient, wherein the non-invasive unit being comprised of a pressure inducing member and a transducer member and wherein the cardiovascular information is comprised of a data stream having pressure data and pulsation signal data to obtain a series of waveforms, the data stream at least comprising pulsation signal data taken at each of
• 1. a supra-systolic pressure,
• 2. a systolic pressure,
• 3. a diastolic pressure, and
• 4. a sub-diastolic pressure;
• (2) a processing member coupled to the non-invasive unit to determine the patient's systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure from the gathered cardiovascular condition information and for using at least one of the determined diastolic, systolic and mean arterial pressures to determine the patient's peripheral resistance.

A method for diagnosing cardiovascular pathology in a patient, comprising the steps of:

• (1) gathering cardiovascular condition information from the patient through a non-invasive technique;
• (2) determining the patient's systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure from the gathered cardiovascular condition information;
• (3) using at least one of the determined diastolic, systolic and mean arterial pressures to determine the patient's peripheral resistance;
• (4) comparing the determined peripheral resistance to a predetermined peripheral resistance threshold value;
• (5) comparing the determined mean arterial pressure to a predetermined mean arterial pressure threshold value;
• and
• (5) diagnosing the patient as having a cardiovascular pathology based upon the relative magnitude of the determined peripheral resistance to the predetermined peripheral resistance threshold and upon the relative magnitude of the determined mean arterial pressure to the predetermined mean arterial pressure threshold value.