Journal of Biomechanics
Volume 36, Issue 11 , November 2003, Pages 1727-1731On the elastic properties of arteries
C. G. Stephanis a, D. E. Mourmouras a and D. G. Tsagadopoulos b
a Department of Physics, National Technical University of Athens, Zografou Campus, 15780, Athens, Greece
b Cardiac department, Athens Chest Hospital "Sotiria", Greece
Abstract
A new coefficient of elasticity is proposed that relates to the elastic state of the blood vessels. This measure is proposed as a result of the realization, from personal experience as well as from the international literature, of the difficulty in measuring the thickness of the blood vessels in vivo with acceptable precision. The measurement of E being dependent on the measurement of the thickness of the vessels becomes a highly unreliable proposition. Its relation to E (Young modulus) and to the pulse wave velocity (PWV) is established. We give three examples showing how the proposed coefficient can be measured.
Author Keywords: Arteries, Mechanical properties, elasticity
