PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an instrument for measuring arterial elasticity capable of utilizing a merit to obtain a transmural pressure difference in a blood vessel in blood pressure measurement using a cuff in order to measure the arterial elasticity.SOLUTION: In a process to measure blood pressure by using the cuff of a double cuff method, the blood vessel transmural pressure difference beneath the cuff is defined as zero when cuff pressure is systolic blood pressure, and a blood vessel volumetric change when the cuff pressure falls from the systolic blood pressure by prescribed pressure within 20mmHg is defined as the blood vessel volumetric change when the blood vessel transmural pressure difference beneath the cuff is imposed by prescribed pressure. The blood vessel volumetric change is calculated based on pressure pulse wave detected in blood pressure measurement through the use of air-pressure conversion relation acquired based on a cuff pressure change when prescribed air capacity is injected. The acquired blood vessel volumetric change is divided by the maximum volumetric change value of the pulse wave detected in the blood pressure measurement so as to perform normalization, and then, obtained as the elastic index of the blood vessel beneath the cuff. Accordingly, the influence of baroreflex from a cuff periphery is eliminated and also the edge effect of the cuff and an individual difference are made to be the minimum concerning the blood vessel elastic property measuring instrument.COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT【課題】 動脈の弾性を測るため、カフを用いた血圧測定法の血管内外圧差が都合よくかけられる利点を生かした動脈弾性測定装置の提供。【解決手段】 ダブルカフ法のカフを用い、血圧を測る過程で、カフ圧が収縮期血圧の時をカフ下の血管内外圧差がゼロの状態とし、また、カフ圧が収縮期血圧より20mmHg以内の規定圧下がったときの血管容積変化を、カフ下の血管内外圧差が規定圧掛かったときの血管容積変化と見なし、この血管容積変化を血圧測定時に検出された圧脈波から、該知の空気容量を注入したときのカフ圧変化よりもとめた空気-圧力変換関係を用いて計算し、かつ、求めた血管容積変化を血圧測定時に検出された脈波の容積変化最大値にて除算し正規化を行ない、カフ下血管の弾性指標として求めることにより、カフ末梢からの圧反射の影響を排除し、かつ、カフのエッジ効果、および、個体差を最小にした血管弾性特性測定装置。【選択図】 図1
