A nonlinear model of the arterial system incorporating a pressure-dependent compliance

The three-element modified Windkessel model has been widely used to study the characteristics of the systemic arterial system. This model provides most of the features of the systemic input impedance, but does not describe the nonlinear effect of the pressure dependence of arterial compliance. The current investigation examines the hemodynamic consequences of such an inclusion. Simultaneous aortic pressure and flow during control and brief descending aortic occlusion were measured in open chest anesthetized experimental dogs. A numerical procedure was implemented to compute constant compliance linear and nonlinear compliance model-predicted pressure waveforms with flow as the input. Results show that the nonlinear compliance model in general can more accurately predict the measured pressure waveforms during control and during acute pressure loading. The difference between the predicted waveforms is more pronounced when blood pressure is high and when the pulse pressure is large.