What's a pulse wave, and how can we use it?
The pulse wave provides a constant, real-time image of the operation of our heart and vegetative nervous system, as well as the condition of our vascular system. By monitoring and analyzing of this pulse wave regularly, we get a chance to trace the changes of these systems from day to day. The parameters we get throughout the analysis of the pulse waves can be divided into two categories. The first one is the morphological parameters which describe the shape of the wave, and they carry important information about the condition of the cardiovascular system. Significant differences can be observed between the pulse waves of healthy moms and of those who suffer from high blood pressure or preeclampsia, however, numerous other illnesses can show typical images as well. The second category consists of the heart rate variability (HRV) parameters, which carry important information about the condition of the vegetative nervous system and the heart. In the case of young and fit people HRV is quite high, and can be considered as a sign of health, while in case of older, unfit, diabetic people this value is lower. During the development of gestational diabetes the narrowing of the HRV values is typical.
Many companies deal with pulse wave analysis, but on one hand they do not count or consider as many parameters as the E-Med4All algorithms, and on the other hand they are largely intended for office use, which cannot solve the daily monitoring of all patients of the given office.
A new era opens up for personalized patient care with daily and population-level monitoring of pulse wave data and its AI-based (artificial intelligence) analysis.
Why are the solutions of E-Med4All Europe Kft. special compared to other portable devices?
- we use a validated hardware as a CE marked medical device to record the measurements in order to ensure the highest possible quality
- in addition to heart rate and saturation, our special and scientifically tested evaluation algorithm allows the calculation of more than 30 cardiovascular and autonomic nervous system parameters based on medical literature data – providing a much more detailed collection of information about a user’s health than other currently used systems
- we develop and validate our system with scientific requirements – we carry out research in several countries and in several research centers in order to obtain the most accurate analysis possible
- With the help of the systems developed by E-Med4All Europe Kft, great amount of data can be collected in a short period of time, which is then processed using the latest artificial intelligence techniques, so that previously unknown correlations can be drawn
What is a pulse oximeter?
Pulse oximeter is a simple, most often small-sized, plastic-covered diagnostic device that anyone can use by clipping it on their finger. It is used to quickly and easily measure oxygen saturation and current pulse. Pulse oximeter is used in many areas of medicine, such as anesthesia, surgical interventions, and chronic cardiovascular and lung diseases. The fact that using this device does not cause any discomfort or risk adds to its popularity.
How does the pulse oximeter work?
The principle of pulse oximetry is photopletysmography. Its essence is that the finger is lit by a LED light source with visible or infrared light. Some of the light is reflected or scattered while a part passes through the finger. The intensity of the light passing through the finger is recorded by a photodetector. The captured light intensity can be calculated using various methods of oxygen saturation and pulse, as well as depicting the pulse curve.
What do I need to pay attention to while performing a measurement?
A measurement can be influenced by a number of factors. Glossy nail polish can impair the accuracy of the measurement and lead to false results. The study does not provide a reliable result when the measurement is performed on a cold limb, because the arteries become narrower. It is advisable to carry out the measurements in comfortable environment, on at least room temperature for the most accurate results. Due to the comparability of the results, it is worth taking the measurements at the same time of day. Avoid the consumption of caffeinated drinks and large quantities of food in the few hours before the measurement, if possible.
Which parameters can the pulse oximeter measure?
You can gain information about the oxygen saturation of your blood during the measurement. Oxygen saturation, as mentioned above, gives information on the percentage of oxygen supply protein in the arterial blood, i.e. hemoglobin that binds with oxygen. In healthy subjects this value is normally above 96%, while smokers and those with chronic pulmonary and heart disease may measure lower than about 90%. Below 90% we are talking about severe oxygen supply disruption, but this can only be assessed along with clinical symptoms (suffocation, sickness). Pulse means how much your heart beats per minute. If someone’s heart operates on a frequency of 70 it means that their heart muscles generally contract and relax 70 times during one minute. The pulse may vary in relatively wide ranges among healthy people; it is optimal between 60 and 90 minutes in a relaxed state. The athletes’ heart rate is generally low, which in their case indicates the fitness of their heart, but a pulse too low, not in the case of athletes, is not a sign of health! A low pulse is often measured in case of high blood pressure and arrhythmia. During physical activity our pulse can rise up to 180. The rate of increase usually depends on the intensity of the sports activity, and it is inversely proportional to our fitness condition. This means that the fitter you are, the less your pulse rises during the same intensity of movement. The pulse of children, adolescents, young women, and pregnant women can be higher even in a relaxed state, and it can temporarily increase in a stressful state, this is not considered to be abnormal. Constantly measured high values in a relaxed state may be pathological, often occurring alongside with low blood pressure, heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias. If your pulse is permanently below 50 or above 100, let your doctor know. The pulse oximeter can also record the pulse curve beyond the above two parameters. Analyzing the pulse curve provides valuable information on the condition of our cardiovascular system and nervous system, and in case of multiple measurements it informs about the direction of positive or negative processes.
How do I have to do a measurement?
Due to the comparability of the results, it is worth taking the measurements at the same time of day. Find a comfortable position in which you can stay still for two minutes. Put the PregnaScan pulse oximeter on your right index finger, turn it on, and after starting to run the program on your phone you should be staying as still as possible during the two-minute measurement. After taking it off your finger the pulse oximeter will automatically turn off, so you don’t have to do anything else with it.
Can I use the service with my own pulse oximeter?
The pulse oximeter sold by us is special, you cannot buy it in any store. Other pulse oximeters that you have bought somewhere else which might look identical do not have the same features that are needed to analyze the pulse wave. Pulse oximeters got from other sources are not suitable for performing these measurements mechanically either, also, since these haven’t been registered in our system they cannot connect with the service.