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Research Article
Originally Published 1 December 1970
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Dicrotic Pulse after Open Heart Operation

Abstract

A palpable dicrotic pulse was observed in 18 patients after open heart operation, usually after prosthetic replacement for aortic regurgitation (14 of 18 patients). Two patients had a ventricular septal defect, one had aortic stenosis, and one, mitral insufficiency. The ages of the patients ranged from 9 to 63 years, but the dicrotic pulse was more prominent and persisted longer in younger patients. The dicrotic pulse usually appeared within 48 hours of operation, persisted 1 to 60 days and was always in a brachiocephalic distribution. Determinants of the dicrotic pulse include the stroke volume, the duration of systole, the distensibility of the arterial system, the peripheral reflection coefficient, and the systemic blood pressure. Impaired cardiac function with a low cardiac output was probably the most significant factor in the occurrence of a dicrotic pulse in this series of patients.

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Published In

Go to Circulation
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Circulation
Pages: 993 - 997
PubMed: 5492549

History

Received: 6 February 1970
Accepted: 11 August 1970
Published online: 1 December 1970
Published in print: December 1970

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Keywords

  1. Arterial pulse
  2. Aortic regurgitation

Authors

Affiliations

HENDRICK B. BARNER, M.D.
From the Department of Surgery, St. Louis University, and Unit II Surgery John Cockran Veterans Administration Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri.
VALLEE L. WILLMAN, M.D.
From the Department of Surgery, St. Louis University, and Unit II Surgery John Cockran Veterans Administration Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri.
GEORGE C. KAISER, M.D.
From the Department of Surgery, St. Louis University, and Unit II Surgery John Cockran Veterans Administration Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri.

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  1. A Peculiar Radial Artery Pressure Waveform After Aortic Valve Replacement, Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, 33, 4, (1166-1167), (2019).https://doi.org/10.1053/j.jvca.2018.08.192
    Crossref
  2. The Association of Radial Artery Pulse Wave Variables with the Pulse Wave Velocity and Echocardiographic Parameters in Hypertension, Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2018, 1, (2018).https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/5291759
    Crossref
  3. Transcranial Doppler Sonography: Atypical Dicrotic Pulse Waveforms in a Man with HIV Infection and Severe Cardiomyopathy, Journal of Neuroimaging, 25, 4, (680-682), (2014).https://doi.org/10.1111/jon.12175
    Crossref
  4. The Dicrotic Pulse: A Common, Non-Ominous Finding After the Ross Operation, Pediatric Cardiology, 28, 4, (247-249), (2007).https://doi.org/10.1007/s00246-006-0005-4
    Crossref
  5. Dicrotic pulse in pericardial tamponade, Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, 16, 6, (742-745), (2002).https://doi.org/10.1053/jcan.2002.128406
    Crossref
  6. Dicrotic pulse observed in a patient with prolapse of the aortic valve without aortic regurgitation, Heart and Vessels, 12, 5, (250-252), (1997).https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02766792
    Crossref
  7. Dicrotism in heart disease, American Heart Journal, 82, 5, (596-608), (1971).https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-8703(71)90328-0
    Crossref
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Dicrotic Pulse after Open Heart Operation
Circulation
  • Vol. 42
  • No. 6

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Circulation
  • Vol. 42
  • No. 6
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