Abstract
In this project, we have studied the use of electrical impedance cardiography as a possible method for measuring blood pulse wave velocity, and hence be an aid in the assessment of the degree of arteriosclerosis. Using two different four-electrode setups, we measured the timing of the systolic pulse at two locations, the upper arm and the thorax, and found that the pulse wave velocity was in general higher in older volunteers and furthermore that it was also more heart rate dependent for older subjects. We attribute this to the fact that the degree of arteriosclerosis typically increases with age and that stiffening of the arterial wall will make the arteries less able to comply with increased heart rate (and corresponding blood pressure), without leading to increased pulse wave velocity. In view of these findings, we conclude that impedance cardiography seems to be well suited and practical for pulse wave velocity measurements and possibly for the assessment of the degree of arteriosclerosis. However, further studies are needed for comparison between this approach and reference methods for pulse wave velocity and assessment of arteriosclerosis before any firm conclusions can be drawn.
Highlights
Arteriosclerosis is one of the major determinants of cardiovascular risk
An overall age-related difference in the ∆ISTIc could not be determined, because this difference depended on the heart rate
This relation between the pulse wave velocity (PWV) and heart rate was in agreement with Lantelme et al [19], who reported increasing carotid-femoral PWV with increasing heart rates in a population of elderly patients after pacemaker implantation, and Tan et al [20], who reported an increase in carotid-femoral PWV with increasing heart rate in older patients (40–93), even when correcting for blood pressure dependency of the PWV
Summary
Arteriosclerosis is one of the major determinants of cardiovascular risk. Numerous studies have attempted to quantify arteriosclerosis by assessing the arterial stiffness, for instance by assessing the pulse wave velocity (PWV) of the systolic blood pressure pulse in the major arteries [1,2,3,4]. ECG together with ICG, the initial systolic time interval (ISTI) can be derived, indicating the time delay between electrical and mechanical pumping activity of the heart [15] This pulse travels through the arterial tree and can be observed non-invasively in the whole body regardless of the depth of the artery. It is possible that this technique provides additional, independent information It was the purpose of this study to investigate the feasibility of this novel technique of electrical bioimpedance and associated signal parameterization for non-invasive PWV assessment in humans by determining the timing of the systolic pulse at two locations, the upper arm and the thorax. The ∆ISTI decreases with increasing heart rate in older subjects (above 60)
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