The DPA provides information on arterial wall stiffness and determines the biological
age of arteries in less than 3 minutes. This FDA approved, user-friendly, non-invasive
device uses a finger probe to observe the changes in pressure, blood flow, velocity and
profile throughout the whole pulse wave.
Aging and disease states associated with an increase in cardiovascular events alter the
physical characteristics of blood vessel walls and impair the pulsatile function of
arteries. Impaired pulsatile function of arteries provides important prognostic and
therapeutic information beyond that provided by traditional blood pressure
measurements.
We believe that the use of the DPA can help caregivers reduce cardiovascular disease
in their patient/client populations through early detection and prevention, and ultimately
assist to decrease the associated financial costs placed on the health care industry.
Cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer for both men & women in the United States with
an estimated economic cost of approximately $298 billion.
In summary the DPA provides:
Early detection of arterial wall
stiffness, Biological age of arteries
Information regarding efficacy
of treatment choices
A tool to monitor the arterial wall
response to lifestyle changes /
reduction of cardiovascular risk factors
Digital Pulse Analyzer (DPA) - Heart Rate Variability
The DPA now has an added software feature that measures Heart Rate
Variability. Decreased HRV implies decreased ability to respond to changes in the
environment. Too much consistency in heart rate (less variability) is often associated
with dysfunction and disease. The DPA software analyzes imperceptible changes in the
heart rate waveforms, provides indices and evaluates the current body condition and
activities/balances of the autonomic nervous system.
Low HRV has been shown in numerous longitudinal studies to be related to a higher
mortality rate in both healthy and unhealthy subjects. It thus can be shown to be a
strong predicator of all-cause mortality. The heart is not just a simple pump, but a
complex sensory organ with its own functional "heart brain" that communicates with and
influences the brain via the nervous system, hormonal system and other pathways.
Research has shown that these influences profoundly affect brain function and most of
the body's major organs. Science now confirms that stress significantly increases the
risk of heart disease, including sudden cardiac death. Unmanaged emotional stress is
equally if not more important than physical variables in determining health outcomes. A
conservative estimate is that 75% of visits to primary care physicians are due to
stress-related disorders.
Cardiovascular-related issues are not the only uses for the DPA. Psychologists
are increasingly recognizing the importance of HRV. A number of studies have
demonstrated that patients with anxiety, phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder
(PSTD) consistently show lower HRV, even when not exposed to a trauma related
prompt. Importantly, this relationship existed independent of age, gender, trait anxiety,
cardio-respiratory fitness, heart rate, blood pressure and respiration rate.
What is an arterial pulse wave?
The pulse wave is a physiological phenomenon, observable and measurable in the
arterial system during blood circulation. During one heart systole a certain blood
volume is expelled. This propagates through the arteries due to the reciprocal
transformation between kinetic energy of a segment of the expelled blood volume and
the potential energy of a stretched segment of the resilient vascular wall. We can
observe the changes in pressure, blood flow, velocity and profile throughout the whole
pulse wave. It can be used for classification of the artery elasticity. 1
Why test for arterial elasticity?
"Aging and disease states associated with an increase in cardiovascular events alter
the physical characteristics of blood vessel walls and impair the pulsatile function of the
arteries. An accumulating body of evidence indicates that impaired pulsitile function of
arteries provides important prognostic and therapeutic information beyond that
provided by traditional blood pressure measurements." 2
"The ability to detect and monitor sub-clinical damage, representing the cumulative and
integrated influence of risk factors in impairing arterial wall integrity, holds potential to
further refine cardiovascular risk stratification and enable early intervention to prevent
or attenuate disease progression."3
"Accumulating evidence suggest that abnormalities in the pulsatile characteristics of
arteries occur early in the disease processes associated with increased cardiovascular
risk, and can be favorably modified by therapeutic interventions."4
"We now know that the health of the endothelium and the blood vessels directly affects
overall cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular disease kills 500,000 Americans every
year in the form of heart attack and stroke. About 16 million more Americans suffer pain
and disabilities caused by cardiovascular disease. Today, over 60,800,000 Americans
(a quarter of the U.S. population) have one or more conditions that put them at risk for
heart attack and stroke."5
"The economic costs of these vessel diseases are staggering. In 2001, the economic
cost of all cardiovascular disease was approximately $298 billion, including health
expenditures and lost productivity"
Waveforms Produced By The DPA
Plethysmogram (PTG) Waveform - The shape of the pulse wave is determined, in part,
by the elasticity of the blood vessels. The DPA can analyze the shape of the curve to
get early information about a developing arterial vascular disease. The pulse wave
analysis can often detect changes very early, and is non-invasive, very easy to use,
and one of the most economical techniques available today. The DPA uses a fingertip
probe sensor - light from the LED/Photodiode is transmitted through the tissue at the
sensor site. The Photodiode detects the changes in the amount of light absorbed by
the hemoglobin which forms the PTG.
Accelerated Plethysmogram (APG) Waveform - The second derivative of PTG - an
excellent method to evaluate the biological age of arteries.
Other Measurements With The DPA
Pulse Rate
Ejection time (Etc)
Pulse Height (PH) - Pulse amplitude
Ejection Elastic Index (EEI)-- indicator of Left Ventricle ejection and elasticity of large
arteries
Dicrotic Dilation Index (DDI)- indicator of small artery compliance
Dicrotic Elastic Index (DEI) - peripheral vessel elasticity (arterioles to veins)
Software program to measure Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Software program will store all patient information
DPA Advantages
Early detection of arterial wall elasticity and determination of biological arterial age in
less than 3 minutes
Software program tests Heart Rate Variability (HRV) in 5 minutes
Monitors effectiveness of therapeutic intervention
Monitors arterial wall response to lifestyles changes / reduction of cardiovascular risk
factors
Non-invasive - uses a LED/Photodiode finger probe sensor.
Device is FDA approved
Lightweight and portable (12 lbs)
User friendly
Can be used alone (thermal printer) or interfaced with computer for storage of
information
Color printout data sheet when interfaced with user's computer/printer
Affordable
Revenue generator
Business Solutions
Our technology-driven health information solutions help your organization better
connect and interact with your consumers, patients, employees and plan members. We
create new capabilities for our clients with technology-enhanced world-class health
information that exceeds healthcare industry standards. Whether you're health
professional, health plan, or independent representative, our solutions can help you:
Lead consumers to your organization's products and services Help to influence
appropriate utilization of healthcare services. Help to build loyal relationships with your
patients/customers Integrate easily into a program, or other application. We can create
new capabilities for your organization too. Learn more about our cost-effective
screening device.
Easy-to-read, easy-to-interpret reports are:
Relevant and trustworthy
Engaging and effective
Comprehensive, yet easy to use
Help your clients see the results and effects of compliance with therapy (i.e.
supplementation)
Allow easy evaluation of the effectiveness of various therapies
Validate and document therapeutic effects for research purposes
The software provides a variety of graphic and tabular reports with statistical
summaries.
Health Professionals
Our technology-driven health information solutions help your organization better
connect and interact with your consumers, patients, employees and plan members. We
create new capabilities for our clients with technology-enhanced world-class health
information that exceeds healthcare industry standards.
Whether you're health professional, health plan, or independent
representative, our solutions can help you:
Lead consumers to your organization's products and services
Help to influence appropriate utilization of healthcare services
Help to build loyal relationships with your patients/customers
Integrate easily into a program, or other application
We can create new capabilities for your organization too. Learn more about our
cost-effective screening device. DPA easy-to-read, easy-to-interpret reports can:
Help your patients see the results and effects of compliance with therapy.
Allow easy evaluation of the effectiveness of various therapies.
Validate and document therapeutic effects for study purposes.
The software provides a variety of graphic and tabular reports with statistical
summaries.
A Powerful New Tool for Health Care Professionals
As a health care professional using the DPA® Advantage, you have a powerful new tool
and advanced technology providing you with cardiovascular parameters specific to the
health of arteries. In minutes, an easy-to-understand report and the precise data you
require is available for identifying cardiovascular disease risk in your patients.
This non-invasive system is capable of measuring arterial compliance. The DPA®
Advantage's sensitivity to early arterial changes builds highly detailed data for
assessment in determining whether patients have potential underlying vascular
disease, as well as developing an outline for the physician of the potential effects of
patient-specific risk factors.
DPA Advantage was developed specifically for use in mobile events, clinics and
tradeshow events and can easily and successfully become an important tool in your
current patient recruitment& retention process.
Advanced Technology Arrives In Your Practice
The DPA® device measures a pulse waveform produced by the beating heart. Data
captured by the DPA® during a patient test is analyzed and reported in just minutes to
provide a clear, concise evaluation tool for health care professionals.
Arterial stiffness indices are particularly important in identifying individuals who exhibit
the development of vascular disease, and enables the healthcare professional to begin
appropriate treatment long before the symptoms or clinical signs appear. The DPA has
many applications including:
Hypertension
Borderline Hypertension
Hyperlipidemial
Endothelial Function
Getting started: Simple, quick and painless for physician and patient
Your practice already has everything you need to begin using the DPA® today, and
your patients' comfort and ease during the test is assured.
To begin the test, the appropriate patient-specific data is collected through a series
of questions. As the person rests comfortably, an arterial finger pulse sensor is
placed on the left finger. The instrument's monitor displays the waveform as it is
sensed. Once data is collected and analyzed, you simply print the DPA Report.
The DPA® is a portable and easy-to-use "plug and play" system that requires no
additional accessories or disposable components.
Prevention
One purpose of this screening is to prevent disease before symptoms occur. In those
instances where symptoms have developed, laboratory tests results help confirm that a
problem does exist. But a normal test result is just as significant as an abnormal result.
A normal result does not mean that a test was unnecessary. When a result is normal, it
not only helps rule out disease, but is also establishes a baseline "normal". A person's
own result is the best baseline for monitoring any change that takes place in the future.
Almost everyone in this country knows about heart disease. They know the importance
of prevention, detection, and treatment and the huge impact it has on people's health.
But they know very little about vascular disease outside the heart.
Early Detection is Vital
In most cases, with early detection, vascular disease can be treated effectively. The
DPA test is a simple screening test that may detect these potential problems, all of
which are non-invasive and painless. The beauty of the screening is that it is very
simple. The tests do not produce any risk or discomfort for patients, and can be done in
a matter of minutes.
We sent out a flyer to many of the people in our practice. We screened 35 people our
first couple of days. Of those that we screened, we had over 30 of those buy product
and get on Autoship. Then, we did another screening with Dr. Epps the next weekend
and screened over 20 people and around 15 people bought product and got on
Autoship.
- Dr. Glennis Wilhoit, Missouri
I was certified on the Digital Pulsewave Analyzer in July. I went home and immediately
went to work. The results have been awsome. I was able to get 15 people on the
product before the end of the month. - Dr. Jay Wilkins, ND Georgia
Screening Is
Insurable!"
DPA CPT Codes
CPT - 93922
Non-invasive
physiological studies of
upper or lower extremity
arteries, single level,
bilateral (eg.
ankle/brachial indices,
Doppler waveform
analysis, volume
plethysmography,
transcutaneous oxygen
tension measurement).
CPT 95921, 95922,
95923
(HRV) Autonomic
Nervous System Testing
measures alterations in
the R-R interval of the
ECG.
Smolnik, ND for more
information on how you
can order the Digital
Pulsewave Analyzer for
your office or center.
Phone: (828) 777-JANE
(5263)
Email:
drjanesmolnik@msn.com
Smolnik, ND for more
information on how you
can order the Digital
Pulsewave Analyzer for
your office or center.
Phone: (828) 777-JANE
(5263)
Email:
drjanesmolnik@msn.com
