Relationships between blood pressure and systolic time-intervals: a lumped-model simulation study

A lumped model of the arterial circulation is applied to the study of the dependencies between blood pressure and systolic time-intervals (PEP, LVET). The left ventricle is handled as a pressure source directly coupled with the varying vascular conditions. Four factors are individually considered: peripheral resistance, LV contractility, end diastolic volume and heart rate. The computed dependence curves of PEP and LVET on systolic and diastolic pressures are in accordance with physiological knowledge. The relations of PEP and LVET with other hemodynamic variables are being enlightened and insight is gained into the use of pulse delays measured from the ECG for predicting non-invasively the arterial blood pressure.