Effect of Valsalva maneuver on pulse wave velocity.

Pulse wave velocity (PWV) was recorded in different arterial segments in 25 male normal healthy individuals, before, during and after Valsalva maneuver (VM). Heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) showed significantly significant (P < 0.001) variation in phase II and IV of VM compared to baseline. PWV in aorta to femoral (AO-Fem) arterial segment revealed progressive increase from baseline to phase IV of VM (P < 0.001), while PWV in femoral to dorsalis pedis (Fem-DP) arterial segment showed more increase (P < 0.001) in phase II rather than phase IV from baseline with insignificant variation in aorta to radial (AO-Rad) arterial segment, demonstrate different response of arterial segments to VM.