Chapter 5: aortic pulse pressure

pulse pressure (PP)

different all over body due to changes in vasculature

• as blood flows into distributing arteries, characteristic changes in pressure wave contour occur

when pulse pressure moves away from the heart

systolic pressure increases and diastolic pressure decreases

changes in shape of the pressure pulse

related to

1. decreased compliance of distal arteries (ie; more stiff)

2. reflective waves → particularly from arterial branch points, which summate with the pulse wave traveling down the aorta and arteries

vascular compliance

elastic nature of blood vessels; relationship between volume and pressure (slope of this relationship)

compliance of aorta and ventricular SV

determine aortic pulse pressure

compliance equation

highly compliant vessels

display small increase in pressure to a fiven volume increase

aorta

dampens pulse pressure because of its high compliance

pathologies that cause location-effect consequence

1. arterioscleorsis

2. atherosclerosis

arteriosclerosis

reduction in elasticity of arteries with age

• increases pulse pressure, decreases aortic compliance

• thickening of inner wall and central wall of artery

• tunica media → dilation of vessels

atherosclerosis

deposition of plaques due to western diet

• tunica INTIMA → narrowing of vessels

• ischemia

increase stroke volume

1. increased preload and inotropy

2. decreased afterload and HR

decrease aortic compliance

age, arterioscleorsis, hypertension

increase aortic pulse pressure

1. increased stroke volume

2. decreased aortic compliance