STUDIES ON THE ELASTIC PROPERTIES OF HUMAN ISOLATED AORTA

Abstract

Eighteen isolated aortas of subjects of from 20-78 years of age were experimentally tested by means of a described apparatus and the mean volume-elasticity characteristics for each age group shown in a series of curves. The mean volume-elasticity curves demonstrate that arterial rigidity increases progressively with age and with increasing diastolic pressure. The aorta of old age assumes the role of a capacity reservoir and becomes adapted to the reception of the cardiac output without imposing an undue strain on the heart, a condition which would otherwise result if the disappearance of elastic tissue occurred without a concomitant increase in the diameter and length of the aorta. By reference to the formula[image] where V. is the velocity of the front of the pulse wave in terms of meters per second, this velocity was compared with the velocity in vivo obtained by the optical record method. A method is shown for evaluating the condition of the aorta in living man by comparison with an isolated aorta having approximately the same pulse wave velocity.