Waves in Elastic Tubes: Velocity of the Pulse Wave in Large Arteries

Abstract

An equation for waves in elastic tubes is developed and applied to cylindrical tubes with Hookian and with elastomeric walls. The former application yields the Moens‐Korteweg formula, which has been found inadequate. The latter application leads to a rather complicated equation for the pulse‐wave velocity. Values of pulse‐wave velocities are computed for the thoracic aorta by means of the foregoing equation, and the results are compared with measured mean velocities for the entire aorta. Graphs and tables are given, so that a graphical analysis of this velocity equation can be applied to any large artery; and the method is illustrated by computing the pulse‐wave velocity in the left common carotid. The relation ${\mathrm{l÷\int }}_0^l\mathrm{ds/v}$ , for the mean velocity over a tube of length l, is shown to be valid for the aorta and large arteries.