A new solar powered blood pressure (BP) measuring device may prove an effective alternative for field tests in third world countries. The reliable and affordable device would be able to help curb the rising rates of heart related diseases that are rampant in lower income countries.
The $32 automated BP testing device is under trial at three medical centres located in Africa. Two of these are in Uganda and the other in Zambia. The device was developed for the World Health Organization by Dr Gianfranco Parati of the University of Milan – Cicocca in Italy with help from other contributors.
The device is 94% in agreement with the conventional blood pressure testing devices that check for systolic BP. It was not as accurate with diastolic BP readings, but researchers feel that it would be fixed easily. Diastolic BP is the lower pressure number when the heart is relaxed.
For those operating on a shoe string budget in third world countries the device will be a major advancement. Dr Eoin O’Brien from the University College Dublin, Ireland said that it will measure BP accurately; is robust, inexpensive, and available; and has this advantage of solar power, which is useful in low-resource countries.