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Anterograde and retrograde blood velocity profiles in the intact human cardiovascular system

Current assessments of the effects of shear patterns on vascular function assume that a parabolic velocity profile is always present. Any substantial deviation in the profile away from this may result in misinterpretation of the importance that shear patterns have on vascular function. The present investigation tested the hypothesis that anterograde and retrograde blood flow would have a parabolic velocity profile at rest, during cold pressor test and exercise. Eight healthy subjects completed a cold pressor test and a graded knee‐extension exercise test. Doppler ultrasound was used to determine time‐averaged mean velocity (Vmean) and time‐averaged peak velocity (Vpeak) for both anterograde and retrograde flow in the femoral artery (FA) and brachial artery (BA). The Vmean/Vpeak ratio was used to interpret the shape of the blood velocity profile (parabolic, Vmean/Vpeak= 0.5; plug‐like, Vmean/Vpeak= 1.0). At rest, BA and FA Vmean/Vpeak ratios of anterograde and retrograde flow were not significantly different from 0.5. During cold pressor test, anterograde Vmean/Vpeak in the BA (0.56 ± 0.02) and FA (0.58 ± 0.03) were significantly greater than 0.5. During peak exercise, the Vmean/Vpeak ratio of anterograde flow in the FA (0.53 ± 0.04) was not significantly different from 0.5. In all conditions, the retrograde Vmean/Vpeak ratio was lower than anterograde. These data demonstrate that blood flow through two different conduit arteries during two different physiological stressors maintains a velocity profile that resembles a slightly blunted parabolic velocity profile.