Disorders of blood circulation in vital organs such as the heart, brain, or legs are among the most common causes of illness and death in Germany. However, such circulatory disorders often become noticeable through symptoms only when more than three-quarters of the vessel lumen is already blocked by arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
Therefore, early detection of circulatory disorders in a stage where no symptoms are present is of particular importance.
The vascular system is a connected system, and the condition of the arteries at one point in the system provides insights into the rest of the vascular network.
The speed at which the pulse wave propagates through the arteries depends on the elasticity of the arteries. The more elastic (and thus healthier) the arteries are, the slower the pulse wave. As stiffness (arteriosclerosis) increases, the pulse wave velocity also increases. Together with another parameter (the blood pressure ratio between the arms and legs; ABI index), the measurement result of pulse wave velocity allows for the early detection of circulatory disorders long before the first symptoms occur.