Resonances in the Cardiovascular System - Investigation and Clinical Applications

The baroreflex, as a control system with negative feedback, is a mechanism that buffers changes in blood pressure (BP), thereby precluding strong, abrupt shifts in arterial pressure. As a closed-loop control system with delays, the baroreflex possesses resonance features at frequencies of about 0.1 and 0.03 Hz. These resonance frequencies correspond to a ~5-s delay in the BP response to changes in heart rate (HR) (HR baroreflex closed-loop) and a ~15-s delay in the vascular tone (VT) response to changes in BP (VT baroreflex closed-loop). Thus, whereas a single impact on the cardiovascular system (CVS) elicits a HR, BP, and VT oscillatory response that fades over time, 0.1 or 0.03 Hz rhythmical stimulation of the CVS produces steady HR, BP, and VT oscillations with significantly higher amplitudes comparing to stimulation at other frequencies. Resonances in the baroreflex system are essential for the maintenance of optimal health by keeping autonomic regulation active via HR, BP, and VT variability, providing adaptive responses to internal and external stimuli, and buffering stress and emotional reactivity via inhibitory effect in the brain. This study investigates the phenomenon of resonances in the CVS and the ability to employ these resonances for clinical applications.

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