Evaluation of non-invasive blood pressure measurement by the Finapres method at rest and during dynamic exercise in subjects with cardiovascular insufficiency.

The accuracy and precision of the Finapres in recording rest and exercise blood pressure compared with the intra-arterial (aortic and branchial) and random-zero sphygmomanometer methods was assessed in 84 ischaemic patients in three different studies. Firstly, comparison at rest with the aortic intra-arterial pressure in 50 ischaemic patients demonstrated that the Finapres systolic (136.5 +/- 21.1 vs. 129.3 +/- 19.0 mmHg; p < 0.001) and mean (92.4 +/- 13.4 vs. 90.7 +/- 11.4 mmHg; p < 0.001) arterial pressures were higher and diastolic pressures lower (70.4 +/- 11.5 vs. 71.5 +/- 9.8 mmHg; p < 0.001). The reproducibility of the Finapres and invasive method was similar for systolic (4.6% vs. 4.0%), diastolic (2.8% vs. 2.7%) and mean (3.3% vs. 3.0%) blood pressures. Second, in seven subjects studied twice at rest and during 4 min supine bicycle exercise, the exercise increase in blood pressure was greater on the Finapres compared with the brachial intra-arterial pressure (systolic +10.2 +/- 6.3 vs. +3.6 +/- 9.8 mmHg; diastolic +9.6 +/- 11.1 vs. +0.2 +/- 2.1 mmHg; p = 0.02 for each); however, at steady-state the peak/trough differences in pressure between the methods were similar. Thirdly, compared under rest conditions, to random zero sphygmomanometer (RZO), the Finapres systolic pressure was higher (6.8 +/- 3.5 mmHg) and diastolic pressure lower (-6.0 +/- 1.9 mmHg). During upright bicycle exercise, the difference between the Finapres and RZO in systolic blood pressure increased at each level of exercise (+14.3 +/- 4.2, +17.9 +/- 4.0 and +22.2 +/- 4.1 mmHg respectively at each exercise stage: p < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)