An Empiric Approach to the Interpretation of the Low Frequency Critically Damped Ballistocardiogram

Abstract

For the first time, the range of variation in amplitude and temporal relationships of the first four waves of the critically damped ballistocardiogram are presented for two groups of normal subjects. Characteristic deviations from this range are described in patients with vertical hearts, essential hypertension, coarctation of the aorta and aortic insufficiency. The relationship of the cardiac position to the first two patterns is reported. Explanation is found for these observations in current ballistocardiographic theory.