A noninvasive method for monitoring the blood pressure and arterial compliance of a patient based on measurements of a flow velocity and a pulse wave velocity is described. An embodiment uses a photoplethysmograph and includes a method to monitor the dynamic behavior of the arterial blood flow, coupled with a hemodynamic mathematical model of the arterial blood flow motion in a fully nonlinear vessel. A derived mathematical model creates the patient specific dependence of a blood pressure versus PWV and blood velocity, which allows continuous monitoring of arterial blood pressure.
