JP2003260032A - Pulse wave measuring apparatus and bathtub hemomanometer having the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a bathtub hemomanometer which measures a person's blood pressure in bathing in a bathtub at real time. <P>SOLUTION: The bathtub hemomanometer 1 comprises a pulse wave measuring means 3 for measuring a pulse wave in bather's buttocks, a palmus measuring means 2 for measuring bather's palmus timing, a propagation time derivation means 4 for comparing the pulse wave with the palmus timing to derive a pulse wave's propagation time from the heart to the buttocks, and a blood pressure derivation means 5 for deriving the blood pressure based on a predetermined first relation between the propagating speed and the blood pressure by deriving the propagation speed of the pulse wave from the propagation distance and the propagation time of the pulse wave from the heart to the buttocks. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pulse wave measuring device and a bath sphygmomanometer for measuring the pulse wave and blood pressure of a bather immersed in hot water in a bathtub in real time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a method of measuring the blood pressure of a person, a method using a general cuff type blood pressure monitor is widely known.
The cuff method is a method in which anyone can measure the blood pressure by paying attention to the height of the arm, the mounting position of the cuff, and the like.

In addition, pulse oximetry sold under the trade name "Finapress" of Ohmeda Co., Ltd. and a pneumatic cuff are combined to keep the infrared absorption near the arteries of the finger constant. There is a method of measuring blood pressure by the zero-position method of negatively feeding back. The measuring principle of this measuring method is to see the time change of the blood pressure by the time change of the blood volume flowing into the human body. Specifically, in order to see the change in blood volume over time, infrared light is emitted toward the human body from a light-emitting unit provided outside the human body, and the infrared light is transmitted to the human body or scattered by bones or the like to be emitted outside the human body. By receiving the scattered light received by the light receiving unit, the time change of the infrared light intensity absorbed by hemoglobin in the blood flowing inside the human body is measured. Therefore, when a large amount of blood exists on the optical path of infrared light, a large amount of infrared light is absorbed, and when a small amount of blood is contained, a small amount of infrared light is absorbed. Here, since the blood vessel diameter changes due to the fluctuation of the blood pressure value for each pulse, the blood volume existing on the infrared optical path also changes.By measuring the change in the received infrared light intensity, the blood pressure value is You can ask.

Alternatively, there is a method of directly measuring the blood pressure by inserting a blood pressure transducer into the artery.

[0005]

However, the method of directly inserting the blood pressure transducer into the artery can measure the blood pressure most accurately, but since it is a method that invades the human body, it causes pain and bleeding. Along with this, it was unsuitable because of the risk of infectious diseases, especially when measuring during bathing. Moreover, it is impossible to ask a general bather to directly insert the blood pressure transducer into the body.

The cuff-type sphygmomanometer has the advantage that it can be easily worn even by an amateur, but the bather is restrained in order to apply pressure to the site to be measured on the body surface of the bather with a pump or the like. There is a problem that it is necessary to put a burden on the cuff, and it is troublesome to attach and detach the cuff and to handle the cuff during measurement.

Further, in the method in which the pulse oximetry and the cuff are combined, the measurement is performed on the premise that the capillaries of the measured part do not significantly expand or contract from the start to the end of the measurement. There is a problem in that the method for measuring the blood pressure of a bather during bathing is not accurate.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a pulse wave measuring device and a bath sphygmomanometer for measuring the accurate pulse wave and blood pressure of a bather in real time in a non-invasive manner. It is in the point of providing.

[0009]

Means for Solving the Problems [Structure 1] A pulse wave measuring device according to the present invention for solving the above problems is, as described in claim 1, the buttocks of a bather who is immersed in hot water in a bathtub. And a pulse wave measuring means for measuring the pulse wave.

[Function and Effect] Since buoyancy is generated in a bather who is immersed in hot water in the bathtub, pressure on the buttocks (buttocks) of the bathers is suppressed, and blood flow in peripheral blood vessels of the buttocks is good. Secured in. Therefore, according to the pulse wave measuring device of this configuration, the pulse wave measuring means can satisfactorily measure the pulse wave of the buttocks. Furthermore, since the position of the buttocks of the bather who has been immersed in the hot water in the bathtub is at a limited position at the bottom of the bathtub, the pulse wave measuring means can easily identify the position of the buttocks to be measured and measure the pulse. Can measure waves.

Further, the pulse wave measuring means for measuring the pulse wave in the buttocks does not pose a problem as in the case of a cuff equipped with a pump, and the pulse wave can be measured. The distance from the heart to the buttocks can be estimated and derived from the height or sitting height, weight of the subject.

[Configuration 2] A pulse wave measuring device according to the present invention is
As described in claim 2, in addition to the configuration of the pulse wave measuring device of the above configuration 1, the pulse wave measuring means includes a light emitting unit that irradiates the buttocks with light and the light scattered by the buttocks. A light receiving unit for receiving light is provided in the bathtub, and a first calculating unit for deriving the pulse wave based on a temporal change in light receiving intensity in the light receiving unit is provided.

[Advantageous Effects] According to the pulse wave measuring device of this configuration, the pulse wave measuring means is provided with the light emitting part and the light receiving part near the bottom of the bath or the bottom of the side, and the light emitting part is provided. When infrared rays emitted from the human body enter the human body, the infrared rays are absorbed by hemoglobin in the blood, and the amount of absorption is proportional to the amount of hemoglobin existing on the optical path of the infrared rays. Therefore, when the received light intensity is low, it means that the amount of hemoglobin that contributed to the absorption of infrared rays is large, that is, that the blood volume is large, and when the received light intensity is high, the amount of hemoglobin that contributed to the absorption of infrared rays is small, That is, it means that the blood volume is small. Therefore, by measuring the temporal fluctuation of the received light intensity by the first calculating means, the temporal fluctuation of the blood volume in the buttocks, that is, the pulse wave can be measured.

[Structure 3] A bath sphygmomanometer according to the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is a bath sphygmomanometer for measuring the blood pressure of a bather immersed in hot water in a bath as described in claim 3. There is a pulse wave measuring device having the above-mentioned configuration 1 or 2, a heartbeat measuring means for measuring the heartbeat timing of the bather, a pulse wave measured by a pulse wave measuring means provided in the pulse wave measuring device, and By comparing the heartbeat timing measured by a heartbeat measuring device, a propagation time deriving means for deriving a propagation time of the pulse wave from the heart to the buttocks, a propagation distance of the pulse wave from the heart to the buttocks, and the propagation Blood pressure deriving means for deriving the propagation velocity of the pulse wave from the propagation time derived by the time deriving means, and deriving blood pressure based on a predetermined first relationship between the derived propagation velocity and blood pressure. It is characterized by being prepared.

[Operation and Effect] According to the bathtub sphygmomanometer of the present configuration, the heartbeat measuring means measures the heartbeat timing of the bather and also measures the pulse wave provided in the pulse wave measuring device of the above configuration 1 or 2. The means can measure the pulse wave in the buttocks of the bather. Then, the propagation time derivation means, comparing the pulse wave and the heartbeat timing, to derive the propagation time of the pulse wave from the heart to the buttocks, further,
The blood pressure deriving unit derives the propagation velocity of the pulse wave from the propagation distance of the pulse wave from the heart to the buttocks and the propagation time, and based on the relationship (first relationship) between the predetermined propagation speed and blood pressure. Thus, the blood pressure in the blood vessels from the heart to the buttocks can be derived. Therefore, the blood pressure of a bather who is immersed in hot water in the bathtub can be measured non-invasively, without burdening the bather, and by a simple method.

Here, the waveform of the pulse wave in the buttocks depends on the heartbeat timing in the heart, and the peak of the pulse wave appears later from the heartbeat timing in proportion to the distance from the heart to the buttocks. Therefore, the propagation velocity of the pulse wave can be derived from the delay time from the heartbeat timing of the waveform peak of the pulse wave and the distance from the heart to the buttocks. It is known that a proportional relationship is established between the pulse wave propagation velocity and the blood pressure, and the blood pressure can be derived from the derived pulse wave propagation velocity.

[Structure 4] A bath sphygmomanometer according to the present invention has the structure of the bath sphygmomanometer of structure 3 described above, in addition to the structure of the bathtub sphygmomanometer of the structure 3 described above. And a blood pressure value deriving unit that derives a blood pressure value based on the blood pressure derived by the blood pressure deriving unit.

[Operation and Effect] According to the bathtub sphygmomanometer of the present configuration, the blood pressure value deriving means derives the predetermined second relationship between the amplitude of the pulse wave and the blood pressure value, and the blood pressure deriving means. The blood pressure value can be derived based on the measured blood pressure. Here, the second relation is a relational expression that can convert the measured pulse wave scale into a blood pressure scale. Therefore, since the maximum value and the minimum value of the propagation velocity of the pulse wave can be associated with the maximum value and the minimum value of the blood pressure, by converting the average value of the maximum value and the minimum value of the propagation velocity with the blood pressure, the blood pressure A value waveform can be derived.

[Structure 5] A bath sphygmomanometer according to the present invention, as described in claim 5, is characterized in that, in addition to the structure of the bath sphygmomanometer of Structure 3 or 4, the heartbeat measuring means is provided on the inner wall of the bath. A plurality of electrodes, transmission means for transmitting the respective electric signals induced in the electrodes to the outside, amplification means for amplifying the electric signals, and processing the amplified electric signals to obtain the heartbeat timing. And a second calculation means for deriving

[Operation and Effect] According to the bathtub sphygmomanometer of this configuration, the heartbeat measuring means non-invasively measures the heartbeat timing of the bather, for example, obtained from the peak of the R wave of the electrocardiographic waveform during bathing. By being able to do so, it is possible to avoid physically and mentally burdening the bather, and to carry out accurate measurement of heartbeat timing in normal times, that is, to carry out accurate blood pressure measurement. be able to.

[0021]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A bath sphygmomanometer 1 according to the present invention comprises a heartbeat measuring means 2, a pulse wave measuring means 3 constituting a pulse wave measuring device, a propagation time deriving means 4, and a blood pressure deriving means 5 (blood pressure measuring means). An example of derivation means) and a blood pressure value derivation means 6 are provided.
Here, the pulse wave measuring means 3 is a light emitting means 7 arranged so as to irradiate the buttocks of the bather immersed in the hot water in the bathtub 20, and the transmitted light transmitted through the buttocks of the bather. Based on the light receiving means 8 arranged to receive the irradiation light scattered by the buttocks of the bather, and the intensity of the light received by the light receiving means 8 or the temporal change of the absorbed light intensity by the bather, the pulse wave waveform is determined. And a first computing means 9 for deriving. The heartbeat measuring means 2 includes a plurality of electrodes 10a and 10b provided on the inner wall of the bath 20 and electrodes 10a and 10b.
transmission means 11a, 11b for transmitting the respective electric signals induced in b to the outside, amplification means 12 for amplifying the electric signals, and signal processing of the amplified electric signals,
The second calculation means 13 for deriving the heartbeat timing of the bather (specifically, the time-series data of the heartbeat timing obtained from the peak of the R wave of the electrocardiographic waveform). The propagation time deriving means 4, the blood pressure deriving means 5, the blood pressure value deriving means 6, the first computing means 9, and the second computing means 13 are configured by a single signal processing means 14 realized by using a CPU or the like. You can

The method of measuring the pulse wave will be described below with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the pulse wave is measured by the pulse wave measuring means 3 by using the light emitting means 7 and the light receiving means 8 which are embedded in the bottom of the bathtub 20 where the buttocks of the bather are expected to hit. The pulse oximetry method (infrared absorption measuring method) is performed under the control of the first computing means 9. In addition, in the bottom of the bath 20 where the light emitting means 7 and the light receiving means 8 are embedded,
A marking is provided on it to indicate the position where the bather sits. As a result, the bather can be configured so that the bather hardly notices that the pulse wave is being measured.

The light emitted from the light-emitting means 7 (here, infrared light) is absorbed by an infrared light absorption factor inside the human body (hemoglobin in blood, etc.), or is further scattered by bones and the like and is outside the human body. Is released to. Light receiving means 8
May be arranged so as to receive the reflected light or may be arranged so as to receive the transmitted light. Therefore,
The light emitted to the outside of the body is received by the light receiving means 8, and as a result, a temporal change in the absorbed light intensity by the human body as shown in FIG. 3A is derived.

The time variation of the absorbed light intensity shown in FIG. 3 (a) corresponds to the time variation of the blood volume existing on the optical path of the light emitted from the light emitting means 7 and received by the light receiving means 8. As a result, a bather's pulse wave waveform that is proportional to the absorbed light intensity waveform can be obtained. Particularly, the light emitting means 7 is arranged so that an artery is present on the optical path from the light emitting means 7 to the light receiving means 8.
By arranging the light receiving means 8 and the light receiving means 8, the temporal change of the blood volume flowing in the artery, that is, the waveform of the pulse wave can be obtained. The obtained waveform of the pulse wave is output from the first calculation means 9. The amplitude of the pulse wave signal waveform is proportional to the amplitude of the blood pressure value (difference between the maximum blood pressure value and the minimum blood pressure value), and the intermediate value of the amplitude of the pulse wave signal waveform corresponds to the average blood pressure value. It is not possible to know each absolute blood pressure value from the scale of light intensity).

Next, the method of measuring the heartbeat will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the heartbeat measuring means 2 used here uses the transmitting means 11a, 11b to transmit the electric signal indicating the body surface potential of the bather induced in at least two electrodes 10a, 10b through water. 3B by transmitting the signal to the amplifying means 12, differentially amplifying the electrical signal induced in the electrodes 10a, 10b by the amplifying means 12, and processing the amplified electrical signal by the second computing means 13. An electrocardiographic signal (electrocardiographic waveform) of the bather as shown is obtained. The obtained electrocardiographic waveform is output from the second calculation means 13. This electrode 1
As the electrodes 0a and 10b, electrodes embedded in the inner wall surface of the bathtub 20 or a metal handrail normally mounted inside the bathtub 20 can be used.

Next, by comparing the pulse wave in the buttocks of the bather shown in FIG. 3 (a) and the heartbeat timing in FIG. 3 (b), the propagation time Δt of the pulse wave from the heart of the bather to the buttocks. Can be asked. Further, the distance from the heart to the buttocks can be derived with reference to the bather's height or sitting height, weight, and the like.

Therefore, the blood pressure deriving means 5 can derive the propagation velocity of the pulse wave from the heart to the buttocks by using the propagation time Δt and the propagation distance of the pulse wave from the heart to the buttocks.
Further, when deriving a highly accurate propagation velocity, an average value of a plurality of propagation times Δt measured in a predetermined period may be taken.

Furthermore, the relationship between the pulse wave propagation velocity and the blood pressure in the blood vessels from the heart to the buttocks as shown in FIG.
It is known that one example of the relationship is established, and the blood pressure deriving unit 5 can derive the blood pressure. Therefore, the blood pressure value deriving means 6 can specify the intermediate value of the amplitude of the pulse wave signal waveform shown in FIG. 3A by the blood pressure from the blood pressure derived using the blood pressure deriving means 5. The scale of the vertical axis (absorbed light intensity) of the graph shown in FIG. 3 (a) represents the amplitude of the absorbed light intensity (pulse wave signal waveform) and the amplitude of the blood pressure value (difference between the maximum blood pressure value and the minimum blood pressure value). Using a predetermined proportional relationship (an example of the second relationship) between the two or a proportional relationship derived by actually measuring (an example of the second relationship) and the above blood pressure specified on the graph of the absorbed light intensity The maximum blood pressure value and the minimum blood pressure value can also be derived by converting the blood pressure value scale to a blood pressure value scale. Since the relationship between the propagation velocity and the blood pressure may change depending on the person, the propagation velocity between the two points (heart and buttocks) and the blood pressure of the bather are regularly measured. However, it may be necessary to update the relationship between the two as shown in FIG. As described above, by using the bath sphygmomanometer 1 according to the present invention, the blood pressure of a bather during bathing can be measured non-invasively and by a simple method for the bather himself.

Further, the derived electrocardiographic waveform (or heart rate), pulse wave waveform, blood pressure value, etc. are displayed on the display means 15 realized by a bathroom remote controller or the like so that the bather can confirm in real time. You can also do it. Furthermore, when the signal processing means 14 determines that the measured electrocardiographic waveform (or heart rate) or blood pressure value is abnormal, the warning means 16 is used to send a voice message or the like to the bather. Can be configured to call attention.

Further, the pulse wave measuring means 3 includes, in place of the light emitting means 7 and the light receiving means 9, a piezoelectric element portion which comes into contact with the buttocks and detects a vibration generated in the buttocks, in the bottom portion of the bathtub 20. The 1 calculating means 9 may be configured as a means for deriving a pulse wave based on a temporal change of the output signal of the piezoelectric element. By configuring the pulse wave measuring means 3 in this way,
Vibration of the buttocks caused by the pulse wave in the buttocks is detected by the piezoelectric element section, and the first calculation means measures the temporal variation of the vibration detected by the piezoelectric element section, thereby measuring the pulse wave at the buttocks. be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a bath sphygmomanometer.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an example of pulse wave measuring means.

FIG. 3A is a graph showing a time change of absorbed light intensity, and FIG. 3B is a graph showing an electrocardiographic waveform.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the relationship between propagation velocity and blood pressure.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 bath sphygmomanometer 2 Heartbeat measuring means 3 Pulse wave measuring means 4 Propagation time derivation means 5 Blood pressure deriving means 6 Blood pressure value deriving means 7 light emitting means 8 Light receiving means 9 First computing means 10 electrodes 11 Transmission means 12 Amplification means 13 Second computing means 14 Signal processing means 15 Display means 16 Alarm means 20 bathtub

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Satoshi Fujita             4-1-2 Hirano-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Prefecture               Within Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Gen Fujii             4-1-2 Hirano-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Prefecture               Within Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroaki Dema             4-1-2 Hirano-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka Prefecture               Within Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tomoaki Ueda             17 Stock Association, Nakadouji Minami-cho, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto-shi, Kyoto Prefecture             Inside Kansai Institute of New Technology F-term (reference) 2D005 FA00                 4C017 AA08 AA09 AB10 AC28 BB20                       BC11 FF08                 4C094 AA01 DD14 FF17 GG03 GG12

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A pulse wave measuring device comprising pulse wave measuring means for measuring a pulse wave in the buttocks of a bather immersed in hot water in a bathtub. 2. The pulse wave measuring means includes a light emitting part for irradiating the buttocks with light and a light receiving part for receiving the light scattered by the buttocks in the bath, and the pulse wave measuring means is provided in the light receiving part. The pulse wave measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising a first calculating unit that derives the pulse wave based on a temporal change in received light intensity. 3. A bathtub sphygmomanometer for measuring the blood pressure of a bather immersed in hot water in a bathtub, wherein the pulse wave measuring device according to claim 1 or 2 is used to measure the heartbeat timing of the bather. Heartbeat measuring means, comparing the pulse wave measured by the pulse wave measuring means provided in the pulse wave measuring device, and the heartbeat timing measured by the heartbeat measuring device, the propagation of the pulse wave from the heart to the buttocks A propagation time deriving means for deriving time, a propagation distance of the pulse wave from the heart to the buttocks, and a propagation time derived by the propagation time deriving means for deriving a propagation velocity of the pulse wave, and deriving the above. A bath sphygmomanometer comprising blood pressure deriving means for deriving blood pressure based on a predetermined first relationship between the propagation velocity and blood pressure. 4. A blood pressure value deriving unit for deriving a blood pressure value based on a predetermined second relationship between the pulse wave and the blood pressure value, and the blood pressure derived by the blood pressure deriving unit. The bathtub blood pressure monitor according to claim 3. 5. The heartbeat measuring means includes a plurality of electrodes provided on the inner wall of the bathtub, a transmitting means for transmitting the respective electric signals induced in the electrodes to the outside, and an amplifying means for amplifying the electric signals. The bathtub sphygmomanometer according to claim 3 or 4, further comprising: a second arithmetic means for processing the amplified electric signal to derive the heartbeat timing.