Effects of muscle contraction on pulsatile pressure-flow relations in femoral bed.

Femoral arterial pressure-flow relations and vascular impedance were studied during isometric contraction of the gastrocnemius-plantaris muscle group in anesthetized dogs. Contractions were synchronized with the electrocardiogram to occur in the first or second half of the cardiac cycle and included twitches as well as low-, intermediate-, and high-frequency tetanuses. The effects of fatigue and recovery were also documented. Marked changes in pressure and flow waveforms and corresponding femoral arterial input impedance spectra were seen for all contraction modes. Impedance moduli and estimated characteristic impedance were elevated regardless of contraction mode and were associated with fluctuations in impedance phase. All tetanuses placed in the first half of the cardiac cycle produced a striking and consistent reversal of impedance phase for the fundamental harmonic from negative to positive values which decreased with progressive fatigue. During recovery, impedance spectra were unchanged from control spectra. We have demonstrated marked alterations in pressure and flow waveforms and impedance spectral patterns during isometric contraction in the canine hindlimb. These changes may be explained by 1) markedly increased wave reflection as a result of muscle contraction and/or 2) the generation of a retrograde pulse by contracting muscle that fuses with the antegrade pulse of cardiac origin.