20 Arthrosclerosis is a condition in which plaque builds up

20. Arthrosclerosis is a condition in which plaque builds up on the walls of arteries which causes the vessels to harden. This hardening results in decreased compliance of the vessel. The Windkessel model can be used to describe the effects of arterial compliance on blood pressure. What would be the expected effect of arthrosclerosis on peak blood pressure?

Solution

Atherosclerosis is an arterial wall disease in which hardening of arteries is seen and it can also be acute vascular disease. Windkessel models usually show the relationship between bloos pressure and blood flow in the aorta which characterizes the arterial compliance. Windkeesel model assumed that

The period of the systole is 2/5th of the period of cardiac cycle.

Inertia, Peripheral Resistance and Arterial Compliance are modelled as a resistor, a capacitor, and an inductor respectively.

At systole the cardiac cycle starts.

The accurate aortic pressure from flow is the result of compliance estimation. With the high blood pressure the increase in arterial pressure and pluse pressure is seen in Windkessel model and with the decrease in arterial pressure in vasodilated state there is a decrease in pulse pressure also. As a result the compliance is reduced with the hypertensive state and compliance is increased with hypotensive state.