Contents
Sphygmography is a modern procedure that aims to measure the arterial pulse and related indicators of the cardiovascular system. With the help of a special apparatus, the frequency and rhythm of the pulsating wave, as well as the filling level of the artery, are determined. Based on the results obtained, an accurate diagnosis is established and effective treatment is prescribed.
Modern procedure
A sphygmograph is a device that allows you to diagnose arterial pulse. During monitoring, the device records systolic and diastolic pressure, volumetric indicators of heart valves and general indicators of vascular patency. The procedure is carried out only as prescribed by the attending physician: therapist, cardiologist or surgeon.
Only a narrow-profile doctor who studies the problems of the cardiovascular system can carry out the procedure. The result of the procedure is a sphygmogram. This is a curved line, each part of which is responsible for a different pressure inside the vessels. The curve characterizes the arterial pulse and any deviations from the norm in the work of the cardiovascular system.
The type of sphygmogram depends on the area that needs additional examination. The central pulse is measured to determine the pressure in the carotid artery. The data obtained allow us to estimate the pressure inside the vessels (systole and diastole). Measurement of the peripheral pulse is carried out on the arteries of the upper limbs. On the arteries of the lower leg, peripheral pressure is measured only in cases where manipulations in the arm area are contraindicated for the patient.
The feasibility of sphygmography
The procedure prescribed by a specialist helps to assess the condition of large and small vessels in the human body. With the help of the technique, the patency and tone of the arteries is determined (their condition determines the work of the entire circulatory system). The purpose of diagnostics is to determine the state of the system that should supply the tissues of the body with blood. Violation of the basic function of the circulatory system leads to diseases of the heart and internal organs. With the help of the procedure, heart failure is detected (the degree of insufficiency and circulatory disorders in the internal organs is determined).
Purpose of the procedure
The patient’s complaints are the root cause of the visit to the doctor, they are a direct appointment for the procedure. Dizziness and headaches, which bring much suffering to the patient, are symptoms for the appointment of measuring the central pulse. Indicators of the central pulse are determined if the patient has absent-mindedness, lack of concentration, sudden mood swings (excitability and apathy), impaired coordination of movement. Unrelated symptoms are an alarming sign that indicates a violation of the blood supply in the human body.
The peripheral pulse is measured if the patient’s arms and legs often go numb (the limbs may become numb individually). If they are cold, while the patient complains of pain in the fingers, he is prescribed sphygmography. The peripheral pulse is determined in case of atrophy of adipose and subcutaneous tissue or muscle tissue atrophy. If the patient gets tired quickly and feels constant weakness in the limbs, the attending physician directs him to additional examinations, including sphygmography, to measure the peripheral pulse. The direct appointment for the procedure is pain in the legs while walking – the pain syndrome does not go away, but only intensifies with time.
Sphygmography indicators
Sphygmography monitors several important parameters at once: frequency, pulse rhythm, systole and degree of filling of blood vessels. Using a simple device, upper and lower blood pressure is measured, which allows you to make an accurate diagnosis of hypertension. The stroke volume of the heart shows its work (how quickly the heart ejects blood into the bloodstream in one contraction).
With the help of the installation, the work of the heart valves is evaluated – sphygmography is an auxiliary procedure in determining dangerous defects and pathologies. If the concerns of the attending physician are confirmed, the patient is referred for further research. Sphygmography determines the stiffness of the arteries. This indicator helps to identify atherosclerotic diseases.
Contraindications to the procedure
There are no direct contraindications to the procedure. If the patient complains of numbness in the arms and legs, he is referred for sphygmography. Such a procedure is indicated at any age and in the presence of any diseases in the patient (chronic and protracted diseases). The installed pacemaker is not a direct contraindication to the procedure – an experienced doctor evaluates the risks of conducting the study for such patients.
The appointment of the procedure takes place in several stages:
- there is a consultation with the attending physician;
- the patient undergoes additional examinations of the body;
- general blood tests are given;
- sphygmography is performed;
- additional examination methods are prescribed to determine the exact diagnosis.
In most cases, the procedure passes without complications or side effects – sphygmography does not cause acute allergic reactions or additional symptoms. Less commonly, the procedure is prescribed for children and pregnant women. If necessary, the child takes a pulse measurement using a special apparatus in the presence of parents.
Procedure
The procedure is carried out within 10-15 minutes and does not bring any discomfort to the patient. The doctor chooses a suitable place for measuring the pulse: the radial artery or the artery in the lower leg. The choice of a suitable place to install the sensors depends on the problem that the patient has addressed. For modern methods, strain gauge or capacitive sensors are used, which are highly durable and reliable.
The sensor reads information – the frequency and rhythm of pulsating blood, and then transmits this data to the recording device. Sphygmography is the registration of fluctuations in the blood that passes through the vessels (a pulsating wave passes along the walls of the vessel and creates a certain frequency of oscillations).
There are differences between the measurement of peripheral and central pulse. In the first case, the results show the main and additional waves (two important indicators). The measurement of the pulse wave and its intensity is carried out using a comprehensive study based on the synchronization of the operation of two installations (on the carotid and femoral arteries).
At the end of the study, the results are compared: the difference between sphygmograms and additional measurements (vessel length and wave speed) determines the work of the cardiovascular system and disorders that cause unpleasant symptoms. For the diagnosis of muscular arteries, the pulse on the carotid and radial arteries is synchronized. Normally, the speed of a wave passing through the vessels is from 4 to 8 m/s.
Explanation of results
The curve – the result of sphygmography – is displayed on the screen. It is registration information about the frequency and rhythm of the pulse. Such a curve consists of several parts that are analyzed by the doctor. These indicators help to establish an accurate diagnosis without additional research methods.
Anacrota represents the beginning of the curve. The line is always directed upwards and reflects the phase of blood circulation when blood is ejected into the vessel. The release occurs from the heart valve, which immediately fixes the device. Defects or abnormalities on the anacrot indicate problems with the heart and adjacent vessels.
The incisura is the second part of the measured curve that records the ventricular diastolic pressure. At the moment when this indicator is registered, the heart valve closes completely, and the pressure in the vessel automatically decreases.
A dicrotic wave is an indicator of pressure directly in the aorta. The flow of blood causes the valves to close and, due to pressure, enters the aorta again (pressure rises). The last indicator displayed on the curve, catacrot, is a descending line that completes the sphygmography. From this part of the line, one can judge the outflow of blood into the peripheral parts of the body, into small vessels. This process is accompanied by a decrease in pressure in the studied part.
What defines a procedure?
A sphygmogram is a visual picture of what happens in a vessel during the passage of blood. Using the obtained data, analyzing the curve, the doctor can suspect atherosclerosis at any stage of development (slight accumulation of atherosclerotic plaques and severe vascular occlusion). With a decrease in the tone or elasticity of the walls of the vessels, changes in the resulting curve are observed. A sphygmogram indicates problems with blood supply in the studied part of the artery.
Vasculitis and age-related changes in the vessels are diagnosed by complex sphygmograms made in different areas of study. With the help of the procedure, you can see blood pressure disorders and take emergency measures to eliminate the problem.
The curve is used to diagnose aortic valve stenosis and insufficiency of this valve, which threatens the patient’s life. Heart failure is determined using several research methods, including sphygmography. The interpretation of the results is done by a doctor who investigates the problems of the cardiovascular system, but determining the diagnosis is the task of the attending physician. He writes appointments for the procedure and evaluates the results obtained in addition to other research methods.
Additional Methods
For a complete picture of the disease, sphygmography is not enough. The obtained indicators demonstrate the work of blood vessels, but do not always show the cause of failures in the work of the cardiovascular system. For a comprehensive examination, ECG and EchoCG (electrocardiogram and echocardiogram) are used. Angiography allows you to assess the degree of complication of the disease and identify its root cause. Sphygmography is an auxiliary diagnostic method that does not exclude additional techniques and examinations.
For each vessel, the rate of blood passage is set: deviations from the norm may depend on the individual characteristics of the patient’s body. For the radial artery, this rate is from 6 to 12 m/s. With the help of a mechanocardiograph, it is possible to measure the pulse in two indicators at once. During the period of treatment, such a comprehensive diagnosis is able to determine the dynamics of the prescribed therapy. The appointment of a comprehensive diagnosis is carried out by the attending specialist, who evaluates the feasibility of a repeated procedure. The absence of contraindications allows for several sphygmograms per year.