Biomedical Engineering: Graduate Reports and Projects
https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/bmed_rpt/5
Date of Award
12-2023
Degree Name
MS in Biomedical Engineering
Department
Biomedical Engineering
College
College of Engineering
Advisor
Michael Whitt
Advisor Department
Biomedical Engineering
Advisor College
College of Engineering
Abstract
As the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases continues to exponentially grow in populations across the globe, the necessity of determining underlying factors, effective methods of diagnoses, and universally available preventive measures also grows. Early detection of endothelial dysfunction, a proven precursor of cardiovascular diseases, can be extremely impactful in encouraging preventative measures and early intervention before medical conditions become chronic. In recent years, ice plunging, a form of cryotherapy involving full body immersion in cold water, has gained popularity within circles of fitness and health practitioners, gaining the interest of people of all backgrounds. Certain parallels observed between the human physiological response to cold exposure and endothelial function encourage further study of the effects of ice plunging on cardiovascular health. Calibrated cuff plethysmography is a promising method of reflecting on endothelial function by measuring arterial compliance of select blood vessels. In this study, a calibrated cuff plethysmography device was built and tested for efficiency as it was used to measure compliance and cross-sectional area of the brachial artery of 14 participants 30 minutes before, immediately after, and 30 minutes after a 5-minute cold plunge in a temperature of 10°C - 15°C. Results found some significant differences between baseline measurements recorded immediately after the ice plunge and measurements recorded during reactive hyperemia conditions at normal body temperature but did not conclude that 5-minute cold-water immersion intervention had a significant impact on arterial compliance or area overall since this was a short term experiment with only acute intervention methods. The device used was concluded to effectively measure arterial compliance and area.
Included in
Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation Commons, Cardiovascular Diseases Commons, Equipment and Supplies Commons, Homeopathy Commons, Medical Physiology Commons, Other Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering Commons, Other Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons, Sports Sciences Commons, Therapeutics Commons