Arterial Stiffness and General Anesthesia Induced Hypotension in Patients on Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Inhibitors

Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) will be determined by applanation tonometry using the Sphygmocor system by sequentially recording ECG-gated carotid and femoral artery waveforms. Pulse wave signals will be recorded by tonometers positioned at the base of the right common carotid artery and over the right femoral artery. The time (t) between the feet of simultaneously recorded waves will be determined as the mean of 10 consecutive cardiac cycles. PWV is calculated by the system software from the distance between measurement points (D) and the measured time delay (t) as follows: cfPWV = D/Δt (m/s) where D is distance in meters and t is the time interval in seconds.