Title: Piezoelectric sensor to non-invasively detect age associated changes in human carotid pulse

Authors: Pankti Brar; Sharda Vashisth

Addresses: Electronics and Communication Engineering Department, Dronacharya College of Engineering, Khentawas, Farukh Nagar 123506, Gurgaon, Haryana, India ' Electrical, Electronics and Communication Engineering Department, ITM University, Gurgaon 122017, Haryana, India

Abstract: The arterial pressure waveform reflects the physics of blood flow in the arterial tree. There are definite changes that occur in the vasculature with age and cause changes in the shape of arterial waveforms. These changes are mainly attributed to increase in the pulse wave velocity caused by the arterial stiffness that causes the reflected wave to return early. Arterial waveforms can be used to non-invasively detect the condition of the cardiac system. There are various methods that have been used to non-invasively detect the arterial pressure waveform like the applanation tonometry, ausculcatory method, palpatory method etc. The developed work presents a simple and cost-effective method wherein carotid artery pressure waveform of subjects of different age groups is recorded using piezoelectric sensor and then analysed using MATLAB to find the systolic, diastolic and inflection points. These points are used to calculate augmentation index and find the changes that occur in the augmentation index with age.

Keywords: ageing; arterial stiffness; reflected waves; augmentation index; piezoelectric sensors; MATLAB; arterial pressure waveforms; carotid artery; non-invasive detection; age associated changes; human carotid pulse; blood flow; vascular flow.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBET.2015.071407

International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, 2015 Vol.19 No.1, pp.40 - 52

Received: 01 Oct 2014
Accepted: 18 Mar 2015
Published online: 25 Aug 2015 *

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