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Influence of Vascular Function and Pulsatile Hemodynamics on Cardiac Function

  • Hypertension and the Heart (SD Solomon and O Vardeny, Section Editors)
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Abstract

Interactions between cardiac and vascular structure and function normally are optimized to ensure delivery of cardiac output with modest pulsatile hemodynamic overhead. Aortic stiffening with age or disease impairs optimal ventricular-vascular coupling, increases pulsatile load, and contributes to left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, reduced systolic function, and impaired diastolic relaxation. Aortic pulse pressure and timing of peak systolic pressure are well-known measures of hemodynamic ventricular-vascular interaction. Recent work has elucidated the importance of direct, mechanical coupling between the aorta and the heart. LV systolic contraction results in displacement of aortic and mitral annuli, thereby producing longitudinal stretch in the ascending aorta and left atrium, respectively. Force associated with longitudinal stretch increases systolic load on the LV. However, the resulting energy stored in the elastic elements of the proximal aorta during systole facilitates early diastolic LV recoil and rapid filling. This review discusses current views on hemodynamics and mechanics of ventricular-vascular coupling.

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This study is funded by research grants HL094898, DK082447, HL107385, and HL104184 from the National Institutes of Health.

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Conflict of Interest

Dr Mitchell declares that he is the owner of Cardiovascular Engineering, Inc., a company that develops and manufactures devices to measure vascular stiffness; serves as a consultant to and receives honoraria from Novartis, Merck, and Servier and was funded by research grants HL094898, DK082447, HL107385, and HL104184 from the National Institutes of Health. Ms Bell declares that she is an employee of Cardiovascular Engineering, Inc.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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  1. Cardiovascular Engineering, Inc., 1 Edgewater Drive, Suite 201, Norwood, MA, 02062, USA

    Vanessa Bell & Gary F. Mitchell

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  1. Vanessa Bell
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Bell, V., Mitchell, G.F. Influence of Vascular Function and Pulsatile Hemodynamics on Cardiac Function. Curr Hypertens Rep 17, 68 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11906-015-0580-y

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