Pulse‐wave Changes With Aging

Pulse‐wave Changes in Aged Patients During Thyroglobulin‐reserpine Therapy

“…Except for 7a there was an obvious increase in the height of the curve (base to peak measurement), and there were other noteworthy alterations. Curves 2a, 5a and 6a show a very prominent first reversal (secondary peak on the downstroke)—a pattern similar to that seen in much younger patients (1). Curve 8a is the most impressive one of the group, however, for at least two reasons.…”

“…Puls and Heizer (1) showed that the Fourier analysis, the electric model analysis, and the analogy of the ringing circuit can be used to give some insight into the probable physical events in the arterial circulation which cause progressive deterioration in the pattern of the pulse wave with aging. Grossly, this involves an early stiffening of the arterial wall and, much later in the age span, a narrowing of the arterial lumen.…”

“…Puls and Heizer (1) showed that pulse waves, as measured by the electric (impedance) plethysmograph (EIP), change significantly with aging. There was no unequivocal proof that these alterations were due to atherosclerosis, but various analyses suggested such a relationship.…”

Pulsatile flow and pressure in human systemic arteries. Studies in man and in a multibranched model of the human systemic arterial tree.

“…This finding has been interpreted to indicate wave reflection from a single functionally discrete peripheral reflecting site. The fluctuations of impedance modulus with frequency have been most marked in patients with hypertension and known arterial disease (Nichols et al, 1977) and in patients with aortic pressure waves suggestive of arterial degeneration (Murgo et al, 1978a;O'Rourke et al, 1968;Puls and Heizer, 1967;Freis et al, 1966). These fluctuations have been least marked in normal subjects (Nichols et al, 1977), in patients with a normal aortic diastolic pressure wave (Murgo et al, 1978), and during the Valsalva maneuver (Mills et al, 1970;Murgo et al, 1978b;Westerhof et al, 1979).…”

The Effects of Aging, Vascular Disease and Hypertension on the Peripheral Pulse Volume

“…Puls and Heizer (14) demonstrated the plethysmographic changes in pulse contours associated with various age groups, but they did not attempt to express the pulse changes quantitatively or to differentiate the effects of aging, peripheral vascular disease and hypertension. They demonstrated an ingenious electrical analog which emphasized the effects of changes in resistance, capacitance, and inductance in a simulated peripheral pulse.…”