Apparatus and Procedure for Training Subjects to Control Their Blood Pressure |
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| Authors: | S. Thomas Elder Andrew Longacre Jr. Darleen M. Welsh Robert D. McAfee |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans—Lakefront;School of Engineering, University of New Orleans—Lakefront;Department of Psychology, University of New Orleans—Lakefront;Research Department, VA Hospital, New Orleans |
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| Abstract: | The purpose of this study was to devise a set of apparatus and procedures for treating the blood pressure response as a free operant. The system described herein developed out of an effort to combine some features of the Harvard and Rockefeller methods into a compact and inexpensive unit that could be transported easily and eventually adapted for home use. Application of the device requires fitting the subject with a standard cuff on each arm and inflating first one and then the other for intervals of 100 sec. The systolic or diastolic blood pressure threshold is tracked by readjusting cuff pressure every 3–4 heartbeats in order to hold the intensity of the Korotkoff sounds constant. A record of blood pressure is obtained by transducing and tracing moment-to-moment changes in cuff pressure on a strip chart recorder. Scores provided by this method and those obtained with the classical Riva-Rocci procedure were found to be highly correlated. |
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| Keywords: | Visceral learning Self-control Biofeedback Blood pressure Self-control of blood pressure Blood pressure measurements |
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