[Pressure-depending venous capacity in relation to age and sex in an average population group]

Pneumatic segment-plethysmography (Barbey et al.) was used to investigate the pressure-dependent venous capacity of the lower extremities on 443 test persons (a cross-section taken from the population aged between 15 and 64 years). The middle pressure-volume diagrams of men and women with no apparent blood-vessel disorders, of men and women with varicous-veins disorders and of men and women with obvious postural circulatory instability were compared. From 308 men with no blood-vessel disorders normal values were established for men in five age groups. There is a significant correlation between pressure-dependent venous capacity and age, applying to both men and women. In relation to healthy men healthy women have a significantly lower pressure-dependent venous capacity.