The Dicrotic Notch: Mechanisms, Characteristics, and Clinical Correlations

Purpose of Review The dicrotic notch (DN) has long been considered a marker of arterial stiffness and compliance. Herein, we explored the recent developments in vascular medicine research in an attempt to assess the DN utility in clinical cardiovascular medicine. Recent Findings. Since its discovery, several studies have attempted to measure the changes in different parameters of the DN in physiological and pathological states. Despite the significance of their findings, the clinical role of the DN remained limited. This may have been related to the difficulty of measuring the DN via indwelling arterial catheters in the past. However, over the past two decades, several non-invasive methods have been developed, which may re-ignite interest in DN research. Summary The DN may have broader applications in clinical cardiovascular medicine. Further research is needed to establish the accuracy of DN non-invasive measurement methods and compare its prognostic value to other circulatory parameters.