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Pan Vascular Medicine pp 151–161Cite as

Arterial Wall Mechanics

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Abstract

Large arteries serve two important mechanical functions: the delivery of blood to the tissues of the body and the buffering of pulsatile pressure and flow. The cushioning function of the large arteries alters molecular and cellular events through cyclic stretch [1]. However, its most important function is to reduce impedence (dynamic resistance to the oscillatory components of pulsatile flow) to left ventricular outflow. This is accomplished directly by arterial expansion during systole and storage of blood in the large arteries for run-off in diastole. This function is called the Windkessel effect after the German word describing a fire pump that performed a similar task. In addition, the pulsatile load encountered by the left ventricle is indirectly affected by the transmission rate of anterograde and reflected pressure waves (pulse wave velocity). Reflected waves can return to the heart during systole and summate with anterograde waves to increase left ventricular impedence [2]. These direct and indirect effects on left ventricular afterload are dependent upon the size and stiffness of the large arteries.

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  1. Alan J. Bank
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  2. Daniel R. Kaiser
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Herz-Zentrum Coswig, Klinik für Kardiologie und Angiologie, Lerchenfeld 1, 06869, Coswig (Anhalt), Germany

    Peter Lanzer MD

  2. The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, One Clinic Center, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, 44195, OH, USA

    Eric J. Topol MD

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Bank, A.J., Kaiser, D.R. (2002). Arterial Wall Mechanics. In: Lanzer, P., Topol, E.J. (eds) Pan Vascular Medicine. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-56225-9_8

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