Indirect Blood Pressure Recording in Helicopters

To the Editor.—  The use of helicopters in the civilian community is markedly increasing. One of their most vital tasks is the handling of injured or acutely ill individuals. The use of helicopters in the Republic of South Vietnam to rapidly move people from the field of battle to primary medical facilities has decreased combat mortality and morbidity significantly. In the United States, the use of the helicopter in the handling of automobile accidents, other types of industrial accidents or injuries, and the rapid transfer of injured or ill patients from one hospital facility to another has found an increasing demand.One problem facing physicians and allied medical personnel involved in the use of helicopters today is the monitoring of a patient's vital signs while in flight. The high noise and vibration levels of most helicopters make the usual indirect recording of blood pressure impossible. The following study was undertaken