Arterial stiffness measurement

Arterial stiffness is one of the most robust markers of vascular health. As arteries stiffen with age, blood pressure, cholesterol and inflammation, the heart has to work harder and the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure rises. In effect, it gives us a measurement of your "vascular age" — which can be very different from your actual age. We measure aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) — considered the gold-standard measure of arterial stiffness — together with central (aortic) blood pressure and augmentation index. This is done using a small pressure sensor placed on the skin at the neck and groin; the recording itself takes only a few minutes and is completely painless. The result is interpreted alongside your standard blood pressure, cholesterol and family history. It's particularly useful where standard risk scores are borderline, or when you want a clearer picture of how your prevention plan is actually affecting your arteries over time.