Arterial flow waveforms, vascular tone, and chronic fatigue: a case report
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Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Ultrasound Assessment of Endothelial-Dependent Flow-Mediated Vasodilation of the Brachial Artery in Clinical Research
Published on: October 22, 2014
M Tracy Zundel1, Matthew Pattyn2, Thomas C Chelimsky3
1Anesthesia Service, Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, 5000 West National Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53295, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
Abstract:
We present the case of a patient with chronic fatigue secondary to Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) who had distinctive abnormalities in his arterial waveform morphology as assessed by pulse oximetry. Moreover, the patient's arterial waveform changed markedly from being supine to upright, suggesting that arterial flow patterns may be abnormal in our patient. Analysis of the waveform suggested a positional hypovolemia as the cause of his orthostatic intolerance. We review general aspects of arterial flow waveform analysis pertinent to health care providers and discuss the pathophysiology of POTS.
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