Clinical studies on peripheral hemodynamics in arterial hypertension.

Digital blood pressure and flow were measured in both normal subjects and patients with essential hypertension by means of the apparatus which have been recently devised, and peripheral vascular resistance was calculated according to Poiseuille's law in order to compare them. 1. Digital blood pressure is higher, the digital blood flow is less and the peripheral vascular resistance is stronger in patients with essential hypertension than in normotensives. 2. Hypertensive patients with ischemic heart disease, calcification of the aortic arch, left ventricular hypertrophy and heart size greater than 53% of the cardio-thoracic ratio were higher in the digital pressure, less in the digital flow, and stronger in the peripheral vascular resistance than those without these findings of the heart and the aortic arch. 3. The curve of relationship obtained from many cases of both normotensives and hypertensives between the digital blood flow and the peripheral vascular resistance forms a hyperbola. 4. Peripheral vascular resistance in both normotensives and hypertensives increased gradually with age up to 50-60 years, and decreased slightly thereafter. The resistance was stronger in patients with essential hypertension than in normotensives through all ages.