Tracking of Brachial And Central Aortic Systolic Pressure Over the Normal Human Lifespan: Insight From the Arterial Pulse Waveforms

Despite multiple studies, it has not been possible to account for the normal changes of blood pressure that occur from infancy to old age. We sought a comprehensive explanation, by linking brachial pressure with the well-documented changes in the arterial pulse waveform, whose peak and nadir determine systolic, diastolic, and pulse pressure in brachial arteries. Arterial pulse waveform changes in humans from birth throughout old age are readily explained on a) growth, with increasing length of the body from birth to adolescence, and adult height maintained thereafter, and b) degeneration and dilation of the aorta from elastic fibre fracture throughout life, causing progressive increase in aortic pressure wave amplitude from early return of wave reflection, and summation of incident with reflected waves in systole. Changes in arterial pulse waveforms throughout life complement and explain brachial cuff pressure values, with optimal pattern for cardiac interaction in adolescence. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.