The Distribution of Pulse Pressure as Related to the Non-Uniformity of the Arterial System

Abstract

The arterial system may be regarded as the connecting link between the heart and the microcirculation. Its function is not only to conduct and distribute the streaming blood to the arterioles and capillaries, but also to adapt the mechanical conditions at its input which are determined by the rhythmic and interrupted action of the heart, to the conditions at its output necessary for the adequate perfusion of the peripheral vessels. It is commonly known that the flow pulses generated in the aorta by the left ventricle are causing pulse waves which travel along the arteries. The typical contours of the pressure pulses at the various sites of the arterial system result from the contour of the original flow pulse, the mode of wave propagation, and the superposition of incident and reflected waves.