Pulse wave reflection and arterial inefficiency

Pulse waves travel from the heart and are reflected back from several distal sites. These reflected waves influence the pressure-flow relationship in the aorta and thus the stroke work (SW) needed to pump a given stroke volume (SV). In this study, we quantitatively examine the relationship of pulse wave reflections to the ratio SW/SV. Whereas most investigators have focused upon the effect of changing the magnitude of the reflected waves, this study includes analysis of both magnitude and phase. It is shown that increasing the magnitude of the reflected waves could either increase or decrease the ratio SW/SV depending upon the phase of the reflected waves