Response of the vascular system to alteration in cardiac contractility

It has been suggested that vascular changes parallel alteration in cardiac function. To investigate whether this is true, we used an interactive model that allows quantification of vascular parameters with changing maximum elastance (E_max) of the left ventricle. Results show that with decreasing E_max, pulse pressure and peripheral resistance increased, while total arterial compliance decreased. Thus, compromised cardiac function leads to vascular changes, but the extent of such changes however, do not parallel the percentages changes in E_max.