Abstract
As people's income and intake of animal fat rapidly increase, so does choresterol concentration in blood. Thus diseases such as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus(NIDDM)myocardial infraction, high blood pressure, cerebral stroke resulting from atherosclerosis rapidly increase recently. It is very difficult to diagnose atherosclerosis early since its progress is so slow and there is no sypmtoms in the beginning of the disease. In this study a mechanical characteristic, compliance, of the lower leg arteries was measured noninvasively. Changes of blood volume and pressure were measured using impedance plethysmgraphy and mercury sphygmomanometer, respectively. The compliance was calculated by dividing the change of blood volume by the change of pulse pressure ( systolic-diastolic pressure ) . Subjects were 24 asymptomatic persons ranging (rom 30 Ic 58yeras and 14 diabetics from 41 to 59years. The compliances, mean, and systolic pressures were statistically analyzed using a t-test be- tween the healthy and diabetic groups. The average compliance of the healthy and diabetic group was measured 2.79 and 1.82U1/mmHg/cm, respectively and these were significantly different(p<0.01). It was also found that the compliance is a better parameter in differentiating the vascular disease than mean or systolic blood pressure.
