BIOPOTENTIAL method to prevent or reverse stiffening of arteries and the cardiac muscle

Pulse wave velocity measurement (PWV) is in our view too inaccurate and inconvenient and cardiovascular magnetic resonance examination too expensive, to measure hypertension and cardiovascular aging dependent stiffening of arteries and the cardiac muscle. We have now concentrated on improving the ECG amplitude measurements, especially in chest leads, which are closest to the heart and therefore most responsible to amplitude changes. Our solution to the problem of poor reproducibility and accuracy of chest lead amplitude measurements in serial examinations is an easy and lowcost method and a lowcost and easy-to-use device for better reprodubilicity and accuracy in the positioning of the chest lead electrodes in serial examinations. Again, the solutions to the problem of errors in amplitude measurements caused by possible weight changes of the individual and rotation changes of the heart have been dealt with by an easy and cost effective method and easy-to-use analog and computational devices able to correct the amplitude measurements of these changes.

Using the reproducibly and accurately measured amplitude changes in ECG, which show the possible effects on the stiffening of arteries and the cardiac muscle, individuals can test different life-style interventions and medication or their combinations and choose the most suitable ones to prevent or reverse their hypertension and cardiovascular aging. Because changes in individual skeletal dimensions of the human body can have effect on the measured ECG amplitudes during the growth stage, the basic individual amplitude measurements should be made after the end of growth, preferably at the age of 18-20 years. For those, who have military education a second ECG should be taken after the completed education, to get better amplitude values for later comparisons.

The best benefit for the individuals and society would be if all individuals, men and woman, were studied by an accurate and reproducible ECG measurement method, such as the BIOPOTENTIAL method. In healthy, sedentary humans, age-associated stiffening primarily occurs during the transition between youth and early middle age, so the control ECG examinations should be made, for instance at the ages of 25, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 and yearly after that. If there is any doubt of impaired hypertension or accelerated cardiovascular aging, more frequent examinations are needed.

The effect of life-style and medication interventions is the better the earlier the intervention is started. Especially it is easier to prevent or reverse living than non-living cardiovascular elements depending changes. Also, the effect of intervention can be seen earlier after changes in living elements.