“Hemodynamic, ECG and Function Telemetry in Conscious Ferrets Administered Verapamil.” Poster, Safety Pharmacology Society, September 2011. “A Chronic Method for Measuring Real-time Pulse Wave Velocity in Conscious Rodents.” Data Sciences International (DSI). “Smooth muscle relaxation: effects on arterial compliance, distensibility, elastic modulus, and pulse wave velocity.” Hypertension. This causes more work on the Cardiovascular system due to the increased afterload on the ventricle resulting in a greater systolic pressure needed to overcome this afterload.īourland, JD., Geddes, LA. When the pressure waves move faster through the arteries, the reflected waves will also move back quicker. In addition, there are reflected pressure waves that move back towards the heart at the end of the systolic period. With age, or due to changes in the arterial wall, these vessels become stiffer and the speed at which the pressure wave moves through the system is increased. The velocity of this movement gives a measurement of arterial compliance. During systole, the contraction of the left ventricle and the ejection of blood into the ascending aorta acutely dilates the aortic wall and generates a pressure wave that moves along the arterial tree. Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) is a measure of arterial stiffness, or the rate at which pressure waves move down the vessel. As blood flows through the vessels of the circulatory system, it moves out of the left ventricle and into the aorta where it is then pushed through the rest of the circulatory system.