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The timing of component pulses:

Graph A presents the a valsalva event (50 - 80 sec).

Top graph: Systolic & diastolic BP

Bottom graph: Arrival times of #1, #2, #3 component pulses at the radial artery relative to ECG trigger.

Note the mirror-image evolution of pressure & arrival times, as predicted by Moens-Korteweg.

Graph B: Due to their different  amplitudes the component pulses propagate at different arterial pulse propagation velocities and they experience different accelerations when the pressure changes due to the non-linearity of the pressure/velocity curve (Anliker, 1968). T13, the delay time between the #1 and #3 component pulses, turns out to be a central pulse parameter.

A

B

C

Graph C: A  model of the arterial pulse reflection site of the thoracic/abdominal interface.

Because of the different distensibilites of the thoracic and abdominal aortic walls, the thoracic aorta grows in diameter relative to that of the abdominal aorta. Consequently the impedance mismatch as it presents itself to the arterial pulse arriving from the direction of the heart (from the left in the graph) increases as a result of which the reflected pulse amplitude grows.

As a result monitoring the ratios of amplitudes of the #2 pulse relative to the amplitudes of the #1 and #3 pulses provides detailed insight into the pressure environment of the central arteries as well as their responsiveness, that is, their vascular health.