China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Aortic and Arterial Mechanics
Published in Michel R. Labrosse, Cardiovascular Mechanics, 2018
The heart acts as a pulsatile pump that propels blood into the vascular system during its contraction (systole). Part of the blood ejected during systole is stored during distension of the aorta and the proximal arteries. The function of the large elastic arteries is to relay the contraction of the heart when it enters its relaxation phase (diastole), thanks to their compliance. After closing the aortic valve, the aorta and the proximal arteries retract elastically and restore the volume of blood stored. This is the Windkessel effect, by which blood pressure is maintained and blood flow is increased in diastole, which ensure a continuous and nonpulsatile flow in the peripheral arteries and the capillaries. This function of diastolic relay of the cardiac contraction is directly related to the elastic properties of the large arteries, which are conferred on them by the large quantity of elastic fibers and type III collagen in the media [1,2].
Passive transport in the interstitium and circulation: basics
Published in Benjamin Loret, Fernando M. F. Simões, Biomechanical Aspects of Soft Tissues, 2017
Benjamin Loret, Fernando M. F. Simões
The elasticity of aorta and of the arteries moderates the discontinuous blood ejection to a continuous flow, so called Windkessel effect. The largest vessels store energy at the systole and release it at the diastole.
Effect of axial prestretch and adipose tissue on the inflation-extension behavior of the human abdominal aorta
Published in Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, 2020
With regard to inflation behavior, the figures document that PVAT restricts the radial motion of an artery. It is exhibited in each studied position (riA, roA = riPT, and roPT; see Figure 4). Where roPT for HPT = 40 mm, the movement is almost negligible in comparison with the thickness of the fatty tissue. Thus, one could hypothetically conclude that the presence of the fatty surrounding is mechanically disadvantageous for the human body, because it prevents an artery from functioning as an elastic capacitor in the Windkessel effect. Later, we will see that this is just one side of the coin.