Abstract
Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was determined in 35 heathy subjects and 35 patients with hypertension, myocardial infarction and cerebral thrombosis using a noninvasive plethysmographic technique (Pulsorette s 2200). Time period was measured between the feet of the pulse waves of the carotid artery and those of the finger-top, radial, brachial, toe-top, dorsal and popliteal arteries.
PWV was found to significantly increase with age in healthy subjects, most significantly between carotid and popliteal artery, but the increase was not significant between carotid and more peripheral artery.
Hypertension was accompanied by increased PWV and a statistically significant increase was observed between carotid and popliteal artery. This is suspected of affecting increased peripheral resistance due to stiffness and tortuosity of the vessel wall.
PWV of the patients suffering from old myocardial infarction and cerebral thrombosis showed no significant changes.
