title: [Cardiovascular physiology. Elasticity and viscoelasticity of the circulatory system. I. Physical basis. II. Arteries].
abstract: The vascular walls and the myocardium have the mechanical behaviour of viscoelastic materials. This paper consists in the first two parts of a review on elasticity and viscoelasticity in the circulatory system. The main elastic and viscoelastic properties of the arterial walls and some of its consequences are studied and some of its quantification theories are exposed, proceeded by the Physical and Biophysical basis necessary to the understanding of phenomena concerned in the totality of the work. Arterial stress and strain are analysed and the notions of arterial static elastic modulus, stiffness or elastance and compliance or capacitance such as the concepts of dynamic or viscoelastic modulus and stiffness are developed. Creep, stress relaxation, histeresis and pulse waves dispersion and atenuation effects are described.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Fisiologia da Faculdade de Medicina de Lisboa.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bettencourt
mesh_terms: D001158:Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D001775:Blood Circulation; D004548:Elasticity; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D012212:Rheology; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014783:Viscosity
vernacular_title: Fisiologia cardiovascular. Elasticidade e viscoelasticidade no aparelho circulatório. I. Fundamentos físicos. II. Artérias.