Computer-aided assessment of vascular reactivity in subjects with essential hypertension

A computer-based system for acquiring and analyzing physiological signals (ECG, heart rate, systemic arterial pressure, and forearm volume) was developed. This system is used to assess the effect of dietary sodium and calcium manipulations on forearm blood flow and vascular resistance (derived from arterial pressure and forearm volume changes during brief venous occlusion) during response to autonomic stimuli (cold pressor, handgrip, mental stress, reactive hyperemia) and adrenegic agonists (isoproterenol and phenylephrine). Results from seven baseline studies prior to dietary change indicate that data acquisition is rapid and precise