"Smart" baroreception along the aortic arch, with reference to essential hypertension

Abstract

An arterial model was used to show that the cumulative effects of wave reflections have a surprisingly pronounced effect on the pressure distribution in the root segment of the tree. Global arterial conditions play a role in cardiac control and this provides a physiological motivation for smart baroreceptor. Distortions of the aortic wall are mainly due to left ventrical output and to reflected waves arising from the arterial tree. The results reveal that smart baroreception strongly depends upon arterial tree properties such as elasticity and geometry.