Implication of the peripheral circulatory system in chronic heart failure (CHF) is commonly recognized. Nevertheless many studies have been focused primarily on small arteries. Far less is known about the state of conduit arteries in CHF. The present study was aimed at evaluating changes in the pulse wave velocity (PWV) in CHF of ischemical etiology. The PWV was measured in 182 patients with CHF resulting from ischemic heart disease (IHD) using the Colson system. Significant increases in PWV and coefficient of elasticity for elastic type arteries were revealed in patients with IHD. A positive correlation between PWV and age of patients was noted.
