[Spontaneous and provoked changes of the impedance plethysmographic volume pulse and its interpretation]

The stroke volume of every heart beat causes a volume wave travelling towards the periphery. Recordings of the volume pulse were performed with the impedance plethysmographic techniques. The volume pulse contour shows in general a few humps, not only one dicrotic hump. The discussion of pulse recordings performed under normal conditions and in provoked pathophysiological states led to the conclusion that the superposition of reflected waves does not give a sufficient explanation of the genesis of pulse contours in general. The contour of the volume pulse can be simulated by damped oscillations of a volume surrounded by an elastic wall with internal friction.