Background:
Orthostatic Hypotension is a form of low blood pressure which happens upon standing after sitting or lying down. This low blood pressure can cause dizziness of a loss of consciousness. The effect can be lessened through the use of compression wear on the lower body. This will squeeze the legs, mostly the thighs, and reduce the amount of blood pooling in this region. This would result in more blood remaining in the upper body, and such, the brain, preventing dizziness and syncope.
Aims for scholarship:
1. Design an algorithm to detect when a patient begins to stand after lying down for too long using gyroscopes and accelerometers.
2. Trigger an inflatable sleeve using this algorithm applying a compressive force to the patient.
3. Assess existing Orthostatic Hypotension treatments and determine their pros and cons.
Functions:
This solution would be an active measure, not applying the compressive force constantly, only when needed. It could also indicate when it is safe or unsafe to stand up through the use of a buzzer or LED. It should also be calibrated to only inflate to a certain pressure differential, which could scale higher or lower depending on the patients normal blood pressure. This sleeve should then deflate when it is appropriate to ensure patient comfort where possible.
