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A transmission line model with a nonlinear load and Zener diode successfully simulated realistic aortic pressure and flow waveforms and aortic input impedance similar to a Windkessel model.
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A computational model using a transmission line with a nonlinear load and Zener diode successfully simulates realistic aortic pressure and flow waveforms.
The arterial tree is depicted as a single transmission line of tapered characteristic impedance with a nonlinear load. This load contains a Zener diode to simulate the 'Waterfall' behaviour caused by smooth muscle tension around the resistance vessels. A shunt resistor represents arterio-venous shunts. The waterfall reference pressure is related to the peripheral blood flow by a feedback coefficient with a time-constant. This combination provides realistic aortic pressure and flow waveforms and an aortic input impedance similar to a 'Windkessel' model. To demonstrate low-frequency responses, the amplitude of the input signal is modulated by a binary, pseudo-random noise waveform, synchronised to the pulse and 63 pulse periods long.
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Köbler et al. (2002) studied this question. Arterial pulse propagation and reflection model was evaluated on Aortic pressure and flow waveforms and aortic input impedance. A transmission line model with a nonlinear load and Zener diode successfully simulated realistic aortic pressure and flow waveforms and aortic input impedance similar to a Windkessel model.
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