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Alterations in the peripheral circulation in patients with mild heart failure
H van Langen1, V J van Driel, S H Skotnicki
1Clinical Vascular Laboratory, 810 Clinical Vascular Laboratory University Medical Centre, St Radboud, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. hvanlangen@vasclab.azn.nl
Objective:
In patients with severe heart failure, compensatory mechanisms fail to provide adequate blood supply to the peripheral circulation, especially when the metabolic need is increased. The aim of this study was to assess alterations in the peripheral circulation in patients with mild heart failure using ultrasound Doppler.
Methods:
In 19 controls and in 11 patients with mild heart failure, Doppler spectra were recorded from the carotid, the brachial and the femoral artery at rest and, from the latter two arteries, during post-occlusive reactive hyperemia. Parameters derived from these Doppler spectra were used to make comparisons between both groups.
Results:
At rest, the duration of the acceleration of blood was shorter in controls, the acceleration was steeper in controls and the deceleration duration was longer in controls as compared to the patients. Differences in the response to reactive hyperemia were only observed in the common femoral artery.
Conclusions:
In patients with mild heart failure, significant alterations in the peripheral circulation were observed especially for the femoral artery. These changes are caused by the impairment of the left ventricular function and by adjustments in the compensatory mechanism of the peripheral circulation.