Automatic controller of arterial pressure

During hypertensive crisis, intensive-care-unit physicians use vasoactive drug infusion in order to diminish the patient´s elevated arterial pressure. A controller was designed to automate drug infusion during hypertensive crisis, permitting the lowering and maintenance of arterial pressure at predetermined values. It allows preprogramming of functions and alarms as well as possible supervision by the doctor. Experiments performed with anesthetized dogs were analyzed to obtain identification and validation of a physiological model. The design, simulation, and testing of an original control algorithm resulted in automatic initial identification of dog parameters, automatic setting of appropriate control parameters, and adequate lowering and posterior maintenance of desired arterial pressure level. A compact, self contained, microprocessor-based controller prototype was constructed and is currently under test.<>