Background:　Finger　blood　volume　pulse　(F-BVP)　contains　abundant　human　cardiovascular　system　information,　including　information　regarding　circulation　in　the　heart,　blood　vessel　function,　and　the　microcirculation　system.　Pulse　waveform　analysis　is　a　method　for　analyzing　F-BVP.　Methods　and　results:　A　new　parameter　of　F-BVP,　called　waveform　index　(WI),　was　extracted,　defined,　subsequently　compared　between　groups　of　different　cardiovascular　function,　and　compared　with　age　and　systolic　blood　pressure.　WI　values　of　the　negative　and　positive　groups　were　0.209　+/-　0.066　(p＜.001)　and　0.305　+/-　0.066　(p＜.001),　respectively.　The　classification　threshold　value　of　WI　was　0.24,　revealing　a　sensitivity　of　77%,　a　specificity　of　68%　and　a　classification　accuracy　of　73%.　The　odds　ratio　(OR)　was　7.164,　indicating　that　subjects　with　WI　＞　0.24　had　a　7.164　times　greater　risk　of　suffering　from　cardiovascular　disease　than　of　not　suffering　from　cardiovascular　disease.　Age　and　systolic　blood　pressure　had　consistent　correlation　with　WI,　in　addition,　WI　had　the　same　trend　with　age　and　systolic　blood　pressure.　Conclusion:　Because　WI　of　F-BVP　was　determined　according　to　only　F-BVP　waveform　and　increases　in　age　and　systolic　blood　pressure,　different　values　of　WI　represent　different　cardiovascular　physiological　conditions.　To　a　certain　extent,　the　changes　of　WI　reflect　the　changes　of　human　cardiovascular　function.　Therefore,　WI　has　the　potential　to　be　widely　used　in　disease　screening　and　clinical　practice.