Forward electrical transmission line model of the human arterial system.

A forward mathematical model of the human arterial system, based on an electrical transmission line analogy, has been developed, using a new method for the calculation of peripheral impedance. Simulations of the human arterial system under normal and stenotic arterial conditions were compared with other published simulations, as well as measured clinical data and known clinical quantitative and qualitative characteristics: the harmonic arterial input impedance spectrum demonstrated a mean error of 0.07-0.1 mmHg.s.cm(-1), compared with equivalent simulation and physiological data, respectively; qualitative and quantitative variation of blood pressure and flow waveforms along the arterial tree followed clinical trends; arterial pulse wave velocities compared favourably with physiological data close to the aortic root (-50-20 cm s(-1) difference), but there were larger differences in the periphery (149-1192 cm s(-1) difference); qualitative as well as quantitative variation of blood flow waveforms with progressive stenotic arterial disease, as measured by the pulsatility index, demonstrated an error between 2 and 16% in comparison with mean clinical data for critical stenosis. Under the given test conditions, the forward model was found closely to represent clinically observed haemodynamic characteristics of the human arterial system.