Abstract: Apparatus for remotely monitoring the left ventricle end diastolic pressure of a person includes an inflatable band for covering the artery of the person and applying a pre-determined pressure to the artery through the band. A pressure transducer in the inflatable band provides a pressure waveform signal representative of the pressure in the artery covered by the inflatable band. A waveform transmitter transmits the pressure waveform signal to a central location for processing the transmitted signal to provide LVEDP signal representative of the left ventricle end diastolic pressure of the person.

Abstract: An apparatus for validating a non-invasively obtained estimate of LVEDP includes a non-invasive system for non-invasively obtaining a first estimate of the LVEDP; an invasive system for invasively obtaining a second estimate of the LVEDP concurrent with the first estimate; and a processor for comparing the first and second estimates of the LVEDP.

Abstract: A left-ventricular pressure waveform is obtained non-invasively by obtaining pressure waveforms from first and second pressure measurements and selecting a segment from each of the first and second pressure waveforms. Each segment is associated with a different interval of a cardiac cycle. The segments are then time-shifted by an amount indicative of a relative time of occurrence of each of the first and second segments.

Abstract: A left-ventricular pressure waveform is obtained non-invasively by obtaining pressure waveforms from first and second pressure measurements and selecting a segment from each of the first and second pressure waveforms. Each segment is associated with a different interval of a cardiac cycle. The segments are then time-shifted by an amount indicative of a relative time of occurrence of each of the first and second segments.

Abstract: A voice, familiar to a patient having a short-term memory loss problem, records comments, of the type that evoke responses, on a tape cassette followed by blank portions on the tape cassette to allow the patient to respond. The cassette is then played back for the patient over a personal cassette player through headphones to allow the patient to respond to the comments while the blank intervals are being played back.

Abstract: A voice, familiar to a patient having a short-term memory loss problem, records comments, of the type that evoke responses, on a tape cassette followed by blank portions on the tape cassette to allow the patient to respond. The cassette is then played back for the patient over a personal cassette player through headphones to allow the patient to respond to the comments while the blank intervals are being played back.

Abstract: The invention evaluates the mechanical condition of a heart in a patient by noninvasively providing a pulse signal representative of arterial pulsation by placing a transducer sufficiently close to the skin of the patient to provide an electric signal representative of the arterial pulsation. The patient is subjected to a heart-straining maneuver to provide an arterial pulse contour squarewave signal during the heart-straining maneuver having an early strain phase amplitude at the beginning of the heart-straining maneuver and a later strain amplitude at the end of the heart-straining maneuver. An indication is provided of the ratio of the late strain phase amplitude which ratio is representative of the mechanical condition of the heart of the patient. The invention may also provide an indication of the relationship between that ratio and the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure of the patient. The invention may also provide an indication of the state of hydration of the patient.