Arterial pulse wave velocity (PWV) or pulse transit time (PTT) is a measure of vascular stiffness which is a primary driver of chronic hypertension. Many modern antihypertensive therapies reduce arterial stiffness in order to lower afterload and delay pressure wave reflections that can occur in systole that cause elevated blood pressure. Researchers at Stanford University have developed methods and hardware to measure vascular stiffness using simple platforms such as a bathroom scale. Features of this system have been shown to be correlated to clinical measures of pulse wave velocity, pulse transit time, and to changes in systolic blood pressure for healthy and aged subjects and are measured simply by standing on the scale.Prototype devices have been developed and tested in laboratory and clinical settings. [ - ]

Arterial pulse wave velocity (PWV) or pulse transit time (PTT) is a measure of vascular... [ + ]