Non-invasive blood pressure measurement under G.
A new commercially available device (Finapres) which allows the continuous monitoring of blood pressure has been evaluated against measurements taken intra-arterially.  It was found that Finapres tends to underestimate both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and differs significantly from, but correlates well, with intra-arterial line measurements.  In general, the slope of the relationship between Finapres and intra-arterial values is close to unity.  It is important that the arm is supported in a way that prevents any local tissue compression in the forearm.  Finapres follows the changes in blood pressure induced by exposure to +Gz well, but may not give reliable absolute values.  This device is able to give useful information on blood pressure in subjects exposed to +Gz on the man carrying centrifuge, with a minimum of discomfort.
McKenzie
I
I
Royal Air Force Institute of Aviation Medicine, Farnborough, UK.
D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D001132:Arm; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D015924:Blood Pressure Monitors; D002498:Centrifugation; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005385:Fingers; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D018471:Hypergravity; D008297:Male; D010991:Plethysmography; D012044:Regression Analysis; D014160:Transducers, Pressure