On-line noninvasive one-point measurements of pulse wave velocity

• Published in: Heart and vessels Vol. 17; no. 2; pp. 61 - 68
• Main Authors: Harada, Akimitsu, Okada, Takashi, Niki, Kiyomi, Chang, Dehua, Sugawara, Motoaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Springer Nature B.V 01.12.2002
• Subjects: Aged; Blood Flow Velocity - physiology; Blood pressure; Blood Pressure - physiology; Cardiology; Carotid Artery, Common - physiology; Coronary vessels; Electrocardiography; Female; Heart; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Models, Theoretical; Pulsatile Flow - physiology; Reference Values; Regression Analysis; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0910-8327; 1615-2573
• DOI: 10.1007/s003800200045

Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a basic parameter in the dynamics of pressure and flow waves traveling in arteries. Conventional on-line methods of measuring PWV have mainly been based on "two-point" measurements, i.e., measurements of the time of travel of the wave over a known distance. This paper describes two methods by which on-line "one-point" measurements can be made, and compares the results obtained by the two methods. The principle of one method is to measure blood pressure and velocity at a point, and use the water-hammer equation for forward traveling waves. The principle of the other method is to derive PWV from the stiffness parameter of the artery. Both methods were realized by using an ultrasonic system which we specially developed for noninvasive measurements of wave intensity. We applied the methods to the common carotid artery in 13 normal humans. The regression line of the PWV (m/s) obtained by the former method on the PWV (m/s) obtained by the latter method was y = 1.03x - 0.899 (R(2) = 0.83). Although regional PWV in the human carotid artery has not been reported so far, the correlation between the PWVs obtained by the present two methods was so high that we are convinced of the validity of these methods.