A STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF SPONTANEOUS VARIATIONS IN BLOOD PRESSURE UPON SPONTANEOUS VARIATIONS IN THE VOLUME OF THE FINGER TIP

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Abstract
By the simultaneous use of a plethysmograph for recording changes in vol. of the tip of the left index finger and of an intra-arterial monometer for obtaining synchronous readings of the blood pressure of the left radial artery, it was shown that the spontaneous variations (increase or decrease) in volume of the finger tip were not concordant with spontaneous changes in blood pressure (? Traube-Hering waves) and were present even in the absence of measurable variations in blood pressure. A few exceptions were noticed. Rises in systemic blood pressure during expiration were accompanied by variable but small increases in vol. of the finger tip. Marked lowering of blood pressure accompanying cardiac asystole was reflected in a decrease in vol. The rule then seems to be that variations in the vol. of the finger tip usually go on independently of changes or lack of change in blood pressure though under certain conditions there may be a transitory relationship. When present, it is manifested by an increase in vol. when there is a rise in blood pressure.