Posts Tagged ‘pulsus parvus et tardus’

That’s how  one of   the patient  presented  to our hospital .  An echo documented  severe aortic stenosis with a  peak aortic gradient of 80mmhg  and  a  bounding  systolic blood pressure of  180 mmhg . Is that an exception ?

I recall the early days of medical school when  we are fervently   taught  that  systolic  blood pressure is primarily determined by stroke volume and LV contractility .

The above example clearly proves this  is  explicitly wrong  .

Now , we understand  systolic blood pressure have many determinants   . Stroke volume is  just one of them .

The tone  , distensibility  of major blood vessels arising from aorta determine how a pressure wave is going to get amplified .

If you  say stroke volume is not  major determinate of systolic blood pressure   . . . .  does it  imply ,   the antique  bed side cardiac sign  Pulsus parvus  et- tardus  a myth ?

No ,  it still holds good . But it is not a hard sign .  We realise now , a patient with a well felt carotid can have a severe Aortic stenosis .

  • Pre- existing systemic hypertension is a  valid explanation.
  • The other popular explanation for  loss of systolic decapitation due to associated  aortic  regurgitation   may be  acceptable . (Not really proven though ! )

What will be the central aortic  pressure  in critical Aortic stenosis ?

It is definitely lower than brachial cuff pressure .This will explain the systolic blood pressure is actually an amplified signal .

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