|
By
A Correspondent
Bangalore
-
Wipro
GE Medical Systems Ltd has introduced the first and
only FDA approved non-invasive vascular screening device
called Vascular Profiler 1000 (VP-1000).
Unlike
conventional atherosclerosis risk assessment methods,
VP-1000 has got the distinct advantage of detecting subjects
in whom the disease is still in its early phase (sub-clinical),
so that preventive measures could be instituted or intensified
well in time. VP-1000 measures the following vital parameters,
simultaneously in just 5 minutes. Brachial Ankle Pulse
Wave Velocity (baPWV) which is an established marker of
arterial stiffness and a strong independent predictor
of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality especially in
patients with known risk factors. Ankle Brachial Blood
Pressure Index (ABI), also called the Ankle Arm Index
(AAI) which is an established marker of arterial occlusion.
The guidelines for making diagnosis based on ABI values
have been laid down by the American Heart Association
(AHA).
As
compared to the other conventional non-invasive techniques
which have distinct limitations and undesirable disadvantages
such as low reproducibility, technician dependency, radiation
exposure and high operational costs, the ABI and baPWV
parameters measured by VP-1000 are very reliable, sensitive,
reproducible, technician independent and very cost-effective
indicators of CAD, PVD & CVD risk.
The
VP-1000 investigation is very simple. It does not require
a trained technician. VP-1000 incorporates a patented
technology called ’WAVE -- Waveform Analysis &
Vascular Evaluation’ technology. This technology
analyses the pulse waveforms of the upper limb and lower
limb arteries to arrive at the diagnosis of a sclerotic
or stenotic lesion. VP-1000 has the value added feature
of ’Post-Exercise Mode’ which is a special test
done in patients with ABI in the borderline zone (0.91
to 0.99) in which the patient is subjected to a TMT and
the VP-1000 test is repeated within 60 seconds. A progression
of the ABI value below 0.90 is confirmatory of an occlusive
arterial disease. During each test, the measurement is
done twice & the average value of the recordings is
calculated to increase sensitivity. VP-1000 has a memory
of previous 10 measurements. |
