The effect of cardiac properties on arterial pulse waves: An in‐silico study

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of cardiac properties variability on arterial pulse wave morphology using blood flow modelling and pulse wave analysis. A lumped‐parameter model of the left part of the heart was coupled to a one‐dimensional model of the arterial network and validated using reference pulse waveforms in turn verified by comparison with in vivo measurements. A sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the effects of variations in cardiac parameters on central and peripheral pulse waveforms. Results showed that left ventricle contractility, stroke volume, cardiac cycle duration, and heart valves impairment are determinants of central waveforms morphology, pulse pressure and its amplification. Contractility of the left atrium has negligible effects on arterial pulse waves. Results also suggested that it might be possible to infer left ventricular dysfunction by analysing the timing of the dicrotic notch and cardiac function by analysing PPG signals. This study has identified cardiac properties that may be extracted from in vivo central and peripheral pulse waves to assess cardiac function.

Cardiac contractility is a key factor in determining pulse pressure and its peripheral amplification

“…To simulate the inotropic action of DB, and to a lesser extent of NA and GTN, left ventricular contractility in the baseline subject was increased by changing the parameters of the heart model. Based on our previous analysis of the sensitivity of simulated central blood pressure to cardiac parameters (26), the following parameters were varied: (i) the stroke volume within the corresponding values measured in vivo (see Table S2, Supplementary Material); and (ii) either the time of the left ventricular relaxation phase or the maximum amplitude of the contraction phase of the ventricular elastance function to produce the range of contractility index values measured in vivo (Supplementary Table S2).…”