Blood Pressure Patch

According toSDThis device was successfully tested by scientists at the University of California San Diego, USA. The device is used to monitor the blood pressure of people with heart and lung diseases, people in critical condition or who have just had surgery.

Nanotechnology professor Sheng Xu, who led the research team, said the thin patch is made of flexible silicone and contains electronic components, connected by twisted wires. This structure makes the patch flexible and comfortable on the skin, while also protecting the wires from breaking when stretched.

Unlike a blood pressure monitor that inflates a cuff around the upper arm, this device measures the patient's arterial blood pressure. Central blood pressure is the blood pressure measured in the middle of the blood vessels, where blood is pumped directly from the heart to other parts of the body. The result reflects the patient's condition more accurately than peripheral blood pressure and is effective in predicting the risk of heart disease, said Sheng Xu.

"The product uses continuous ultrasound to measure the pulse about 4 cm deep under the skin. The information obtained can describe what is happening in the patient's heart based on each specific waveform. Thereby, the doctor can assess the patient's cardiovascular health more thoroughly," said Mr. Su.

The soft, resilient patch was tested on patients’ necks, forearms, wrists, and legs. The test was also performed in both static and exercise conditions. The patch’s measurements closely matched those obtained with traditional ultrasound.

Dr. Brady Huang, a member of the research team, said that for complex cardiopulmonary surgeries, continuous monitoring and accurate knowledge of arterial blood pressure is essential. Therefore, this device is a new technology with high support capabilities, effectively replacing previous traditional methods.

"The major advance of this research is that the ultrasound technique can be miniaturized into a patch. Doctors can continuously obtain blood pressure readings of the aorta deep under the skin without having to use traditional invasive methods," said Mr. Huang.

The researchers say the new device still has a long way to go before it can be used in clinical settings. There are still many issues that need to be improved, such as integrating the power supply, data processing unit, and necessary wireless connections.

“The patch also has to send information via wires from external devices. We are looking forward to collaborating with experts in data transmission and wireless technology for the next phase of our research,” Dr. Su said.