20 - Hemodynamics Flashcards
What is laminar blood flow?
- It is blood flow characterized by layering
- The layer at the center of the blood flow travels the fastest
- The layers on the walls of the vessels flow the slowest (kind of sticks to the walls)
What does laminar blood flow provide?
The maximum amount of flow for a given pressure
What is the difference between laminar blood flow and turbulent blood flow?
Laminar blood flow has a parabolic velocity profile while turbulent flow is disarrayed with a squared velocity front
Can turbulent flow be heard with a stethoscope?
Yes
Can laminar flow be heard with a stethoscope?
No
Laminar pressure requires ______ pressure than turbulent flow in order to move
Less
What are Korotkoff sounds?
Korotkoff sounds are sounds that are produced by inducing turbulent flow in a blood vessel in order to measure blood pressure
Describe how Korotkoff sounds are used to measure atrial blood pressure (systolic pressure)
- A blood pressure cuff is inflated PAST the systolic pressure
- This stops blood through the vessel
- As the pressure is slowly released, the blood will rush through the vessel and crash into the blood ahead of it
- This creates turbulent noise that can be heard
- The pressure at which this is first audible is the systolic pressure
Describe how Korotkoff sounds are used to measure atrial blood pressure (diastolic pressure)
- As the pressure is further decreased, turbulence becomes less as the vessel diameter returns to normal
- The turbulent flow soon stops as does the noise
- This point is the diastolic pressure
How does velocity of blood flow affect the tendency of turbulent blood flow?
Increasing velocity increases the tendency of turbulent blood flow
How does the diameter of the vessel affect the tendency of turbulent blood flow?
Increasing the diameter of the vessel increases turbulence
How does the viscosity of the blood affect the tendency of turbulent blood flow?
Increasing the viscosity decreases the tendency toward turbulence
What is hematocrit?
The volume percentage of red blood cells in blood. It is normally 45% for men and 40% for women.
How does the hematocrit affect the viscosity of the blood?
As the hematocrit increases, so does the viscosity of the blood
How is laminar flow characterized by these features of blood flow?
- High viscosity
- Low density
- Small diameter
- Low velocity
What is anomalous viscosity?
As blood flow decreases, viscosity increases
Is this normally a concern for a healthy adult?
No, because flow remains relatively constant