Non-invasive blood pressure monitor with improved performance

A method of monitoring blood pressure in a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a continuous, non-invasive blood pressure (CNIBP) monitor operable to continuously estimate the blood pressure of the patient and generate a continuous blood pressure estimate;
• calculating a target inflation pressure based upon the continuous blood pressure estimate from the CNIBP monitor;
• positioning a blood pressure cuff of a non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitor on the patient;
• inflating the blood pressure cuff to the target inflation pressure;
• decreasing the pressure in the blood pressure cuff from the target inflation pressure to a final pressure through a series of pressure steps;
• varying the size of the pressure steps within the series of pressure steps during deflation of the blood pressure cuff between the target inflation pressure and the final pressure, wherein the selection of the size of the pressure steps is based upon the continuous blood pressure estimate to optimize the deflation of the blood pressure cuff;
• monitoring for oscillometric pulses in the blood pressure cuff at each pressure step;
• and
• calculating the systolic pressure, mean arterial pressure and diastolic pressure based upon the oscillometric pulses detected during deflation of the blood pressure cuff.

A method of enhancing the operation of a non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitor having a blood pressure cuff selectively inflatable and deflatable to determine at least a systolic pressure, a mean arterial pressure and a diastolic pressure for a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a continuous non-invasive blood pressure (CNIBP) monitoring system operable to continuously estimate the blood pressure of the patient and generate a continuous blood pressure estimate including at least an estimated systolic blood pressure;
• calculating an initial target inflation pressure based upon the continuous blood pressure estimate, wherein the initial target inflation pressure is selected above the estimated systolic blood pressure;
• inflating the blood pressure cuff of the NIBP monitor to the initial target inflation pressure, wherein the initial target inflation pressure is calculated based on the continuous blood pressure estimate before inflation of the blood pressure cuff;
• deflating the blood pressure cuff from the initial target inflation pressure to a final pressure through a series of pressure steps that each represent a decrease in the inflation pressure in the blood pressure cuff;
• varying the size of the pressure steps within the series of pressure steps during deflation of the blood pressure cuff from the initial target inflation pressure to the final pressure, wherein the size of each of the pressure steps of the decreasing pressure values of the blood pressure cuff are based upon the continuous blood pressure estimate;
• monitoring for oscillometric pulses in the blood pressure cuff at each of the pressure steps as the blood pressure cuff is deflated from the initial target inflation pressure to the final pressure;
• and
• calculating and displaying the systolic pressure, mean arterial pressure and diastolic pressure based upon the oscillometric pulses.

A system for monitoring blood pressure in a patient, the system comprising:

• a central processor;
• a non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitor including a pressure transducer coupled to the central processor and operable to detect oscillometric pulses from the patient and a blood pressure cuff positionable on the patient, the blood pressure cuff being coupled to a supply of pressurized air such that the blood pressure cuff can be selectively inflated and deflated by the central processor;
• a continuous non-invasive blood pressure (CNIBP) monitor positionable on the patient to continuously estimate the blood pressure of the patient and generate a continuous blood pressure estimate including at least an estimated systolic blood pressure,
• wherein in the central processor is operable to inflate the blood pressure cuff to a target pressure and deflate the blood pressure cuff from the target pressure to determine the blood pressure of the patient, wherein the central processor estimates the target pressure based upon the estimated systolic pressure,
• wherein the central processor is operable to deflate the blood pressure cuff in a series of pressure steps from the target pressure to a final pressure, wherein the central processor varies the size of the pressure steps within the series of pressure steps during the deflation of the blood pressure cuff from the target pressure to the final pressure, wherein the size of each of the pressure steps is based upon the estimated blood pressure from the CNIBP monitor.