Carotid artery pulsatility during parabolic flights.

In cardio-vascular hemodynamic, the arterial pulsatility, represented by the arterial pulse pressure (PP= systolic blood pressure-diastolic blood pressure), is different from one site to another, in opposite with the mean blood pressure almost identical in the whole body in supine position (or in microgravity). This is due to the arterial tree geometry and regional differences in the distensibility properties of the arterial wall. As the level of blood pressure opposed to the cardiac left ventricle work is the central pressure, on one hand and as the arterial pulsatility at the site of arterial baro-receptors (located on aortic arch and carotid arteries' bifurcation) regulates the sympathetic and vagal control of heart and peripheral resistances on the other hand, to determine the evolution of this central pulse pressure is of major importance in the knowledge of cardio-vascular hemodynamic during hyper or hypogravity as observed during parabolic flights. The aim of this study was to evaluate noninvasively the carotid artery pulsatility and mechanic properties during parabolic flights.