Systolic blood pressure in cardiac decompensation and during compensation

The systolic blood pressure fell in 45.7 per cent of unselected cases of cardiac failure as compensation became established. We observed this fall in cases of aortic regurgitation, mitral regurgitation, chronic myocarditis, emphysema, and chronic nephritis.It is probable that a combination of mechanical factors and increased tonus of the vasomotor center are responsible for the initial rise in systolic blood pressure during decompensation.