>>> But the method you describe is the more easy and cheap one.
>>> Now you are unemployed I suggest you do your research before making any
>>> sweeping statement. ;)
>>
>> In particular, I know a guy who has high blood pressure. The doctor has
>> given him this very expensive-looking piece of automated blood pressure
>> measurement equipment. Now why would anybody design such a complicated
>> and expensive apparatus if a simple finger clamp could do the same job
>> with a few light sensors?
>
> Because it is not simple? It is for a patient more easy to screw up the
> finger measurement than the arm cuff. You need to measure at the level
> of the heart. Easy for a sitting/standing/lying person with the cuff on
> the upper arm. The only way to do it wrong would be to lay down on your
> side, not a very likely error. For the finger measurement lying down is
> almost the only option.

Hmm, interesting.

 From what I've seen, as soon as the guy sits down to take a 
measurement, he immediately becomes so totally apprehensive that his 
blood pressure goes sky-high. I would imagine that has a way, way bigger 
impact on the readings...

(But what do I know? I'm not a doctor.)

> Even if it does look expensive, it may not be and the finger measurement
> system it not cheap and I am not even sure you can buy it as a private
> person giving that it needs calibration and some training to use.

I did say "the doctor has given him" this gizmo. You would think they 
would give him the cheapest possible device. It /is/ government money, 
after all... And a brick-sized machine with sensitive specially 
calibrated pressure sensors and complex mechanical parts cannot possibly 
be cheaper than a device with no moving parts that literally consists of 
just an LED and a photoresistor.

Post a reply to this message