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Vascular Compliance

Meaning

The quantifiable measure of the elasticity and distensibility of the arterial walls, representing their ability to expand and recoil in response to changes in blood pressure during the cardiac cycle. Optimal vascular compliance is essential for buffering the pulsatile flow from the heart, ensuring a smooth, steady blood flow to peripheral tissues, and maintaining healthy blood pressure. A reduction in compliance, or arterial stiffening, is a hallmark of cardiovascular aging and a predictor of adverse cardiac events.