SYSTEMIC ARTERIAL COMPLIANCE EARLY AND LATE AFTER A FIRST ACUTE MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

Systemic arterial properties and left ventricular function were assess ed by Doppler echocardiography and a calibrated subclavian artery puls e tracing early (5 weeks) and late (27 months) after a first acute myo cardial infarction in 19 patients aged 44-77 years and in healthy subj ects matched for age, gender, and arterial blood pressure. Total arter ial compliance (3-element windkessel model) was reduced by 26% (p < 0. 001) from early to late assessment, and left-ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes were increased by 11 and 18%, respectively ( p < 0.05). Peripheral resistance and characteristic impedance were not significantly changed. The healthy matched subjects had arterial comp liance similar to patients at early assessment, but tended to be highe r at late. Thus, 2.3 years after a first acute myocardial infarction w ith moderate left ventricular dilatation, arterial distensibility was significantly decreased whereas peripheral resistance was not changed.