Non-invasive identification of the total peripheral resistance baroreflex impulse response from spontaneous hemodynamic variability

We propose a novel technique for identifying the impulse response characterizing the total peripheral resistance (TPR) baroreflex by mathematical analysis of spontaneous, beat-to-beat fluctuations in arterial blood pressure, cardiac output, and stroke volume. The technique may therefore provide a complete linear dynamic characterization of the TPR baroreflex during normal, closed-loop conditions from only non-invasive measurements. We then describe a theoretical evaluation of the technique against realistic beat-to-beat variability generated by a cardiovascular simulator whose actual dynamic properties were exactly known. We report that the technique accurately estimated the TPR baroreflex impulse response as well as other key cardiovascular parameters for a range of simulator parameter values