TTP Ventus, the UK-based developer of the Disc Pump, has recently begun working on a new application for this technology – ambulatory blood pressure systems. The company claims that the Disc Pump, which is a miniaturized, quiet, and highly efficient pump, could revolutionize ambulatory blood pressure measurements.

At present, 24-hour blood pressure monitors are commonly used to monitor blood pressure at regular intervals throughout the day and night. Such devices typically use motor-driven diaphragm pumps to inflate a cuff on the upper arm. However, these pumps are bulky and noisy, and affect airflow pulsation within the blood pressure monitor. This means that blood pressure measurements can only be taken after the cuff has been fully inflated and begins to deflate.

Taking measurements as the cuff inflates would be preferable, since the pressure the cuff would exert would not have to exceed systolic pressure by much, improving patient comfort and making night-time measurements less disruptive for sleeping users.

Conventional ambulatory blood pressure monitors also typically require a belt- or strap-worn pump unit, which is connected to a brachial cuff through a long hose. This is cumbersome, and the hose can become kinked and obstructed during sleep.

To address these issues, TTP Ventus has proposed that the Disc Pump could offer an alternative to motor-drive diaphragm pumps. The pump operates at over 20,000 cycles per second and moves less than a microliter of air during each cycle. This means that cuff pulsation is negligible during inflation, and blood pressure measurements can be obtained during this process. Moreover, because the pump is very small, it can be directly integrated into a brachial cuff, avoiding the need for cumbersome pump housing and a connecting hose.