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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Measuring the Carotid to Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (Cf-PWV) to Evaluate Arterial Stiffness
05:51

Measuring the Carotid to Femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (Cf-PWV) to Evaluate Arterial Stiffness

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Pulse pressure, arterial stiffness and wave reflections (augmentation index) as cardiovascular risk factors in

Michel E Safar1

  • 1Paris-Descartes University 5, Centre de Diagnostic, Hôtel-Dieu, AP HP, Place du parvis Notre-Dame, 75004 Paris, France. michel.safar@htd.aphp.fr

Therapeutic Advances in Cardiovascular Disease
|January 7, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Traditional blood pressure (BP) measures like systolic and diastolic are evolving. New cardiovascular epidemiology research focuses on pulsatile arterial hemodynamics for a more complete understanding of BP curves.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Epidemiology
  • Physiology
  • Medical Technology

Background:

  • Historically, cardiovascular (CV) hypertensive epidemiology relied on systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) points.
  • This traditional approach offers a limited view of the cyclic BP curve.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce novel indices for CV epidemiology based on pulsatile arterial hemodynamics.
  • To detail the evolution of BP curve characterization beyond traditional systolic and diastolic measures.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of pulsatile arterial hemodynamics.
  • Characterization of the complete cyclic BP curve.

Main Results:

  • Identification of limitations in using only systolic and diastolic BP.
  • Establishment of a new framework for BP curve analysis using pulsatile hemodynamics.

Conclusions:

  • The characterization of the BP curve should incorporate pulsatile arterial hemodynamics.
  • Novel indices derived from this approach are crucial for advancing CV epidemiology.

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