On-line Heart Rate Monitoring Using the Extra-corporeal Pressure Sensors of a Dialysis Machine

Abstract:
Heart rate can be extracted from the extracorporeal venous pressure signal of a dialysis machine. The results are of comparable accuracy and reliability to the ones obtained by the PPG reference signal from a pulse oximeter. Difficulties that occur during heart rate estimation were determined, and some can be overcome by a slight adjustment of blood flow rate. The described techniques, after being implemented into the dialysis machines, would help to improve current hemodialysis safety throughout the treatment by on-line monitoring of the cardiac activity.