How to Measure Arterial Stiffness in Humans

Abstract

Despite the wide recognition of larger artery stiffness as a highly clinically relevant and independent prognostic biomarker, it has yet be incorporated into routine clinical practice and to take a more prominent position in clinical guidelines. An important reason may be the plethora of methods and devices claiming to measure arterial stiffness in humans. This brief review provides a concise overview of methods in use, indicating strengths and weaknesses. We classified and graded methods, highly weighing their scrutiny and purity in quantifying arterial stiffness, rather than focusing on their ease of application or the level at which methods have demonstrated their prognostic and diagnostic potential.