2.1 & 2.2 : (Ventilatory and Cardio systems) Flashcards
Exam prep. (Revision)
What are the 3 main functions of the Cardiovascular system?
(1) Transport: Oxygen vs Carbon Dioxide, Nutrient delivery from the digestive tract, Waste removal, Hormones.
(2) Protection: Inflammation, WBC destroy microorganisms and cancer cells, Antibodies, Platelets, and blood clotting
(3) Regulation: Body temperature, stabilize pH and fluid distribution
State the composition of blood. (hint blood has 4 main components)
Blood is composed of the following cells;
- Erythrocytes 45%,
- Plasma (55%),
- Leukocytes & platelets are <1%
What is the function of plasma?
Plasma is made up of 90% water, therefore it’s important for hydration.
Plasma levels can decrease by 10% while exercising in the heat, but also increase by 10% with endurance training.
What is the function of Erythrocytes? (Red Blood Cells)
Important for oxygen transport.
There is a protein in RBCs called Hemoglobin, where oxygen binds to it. When bound oxygen then gets transported as “Oxyhemoglobin” (oxygen+hemoglobin) Most (98.5%) of oxygen in the blood is transported by hemoglobin as oxyhemoglobin within red blood cells.” IB Statement
What is the function of Leucocytes?
Leucocytes are white blood cells, white blood cells are the body’s immune system.
The immune system protects the body against infection and pathogens.
Names of the four chambers of the heart.
left atrium, right atrium. left ventricle, right ventricle.
What is Pulmonary circulation?
Delivers deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs to be oxygenated. It then returns to the heart.
What is systemic circulation?
Delivers oxygenated blood from the left side of the heart to the rest of the body (not lungs). It then returns to the heart deoxygenated.
Outline the bath of blood flow in the pulmonary circulation
Outline the bath of blood flow in the systemic circulation
Describe the relationship between heart rate, cardiac output and stroke volume at rest and during exercise.
CO = HR x SV
During exercise CO increases. This happens with increases in HR and SV. SV has the most dramatic effect on CO during exercise.
At rest, CO remains constant. HR and SV remain stable.
Define Cardiac output.
The volume of blood pumped from heart/ventricle in one minute;
CO = HR x SV.
Once an individuals max CO is reached, this is the maximum capacity of an individual and thus activity will soon cease or decrease in intensity.
Define stroke volume
The volume of blood pumped from the heart/left ventricle in one beat;
What effect does Strenuous exercise have on CO?
Strenuous exercise can increase CO to 21L/min in a fit person and 35L/min in world-class athletes.
What is cardiovascular drift?
During submaximal exercise at a fixed intensity, CO remains the same. So we would assume that HR and SV would also remain the same.
However this is not true, Cardiovascular drift is when HR will increase due to stroke volume decreasing, thus keeping CO constant. (during fixed intensity exercise)
Why does stroke volume decrease, during cardiovascular drift?
An increase of body temperature results in a lower venous return to the heart, a small decrease in blood volume from sweating. A reduction in stroke volume causes the heart rate to increase to maintain cardiac output. Also, blood viscosity (thickness) increases, which lowers SV.
Define the terms systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Systolic is the pressure when the heart contracts and diastolic is the pressure when the heart relaxes (in-between contractions)
Systolic is the top number and diastolic the bottom number when using a blood pressure device.
How does training increase VO2 max?
- Increase in stroke volume. (due to increase in the volume of the left ventricle)
- Increase in the number of capillaries.
Factors that affect VO2 max
- Heredity
- Age
- Gender
- Body size and composition
- Mode of exercise
- Types of muscle fibers used during the exercise
- Altitude
- Temperature
- Training status
Why is there a significant difference in VO2 max between males and females?
- Differences in body composition (naturally higher percentage of non-oxygen-using body fat in females)
- Hemoglobin concentration (males have slightly more hemoglobin than females)
If our genetics is a big factor in our VO2 max, then what’s the point in training?
We may have a ‘ceiling’ VO2 max that is determined by our genes, but this will only become limiting once a person has trained and increased their VO2max as much as possible to reach this ceiling.
What is affected by training more HR or SV?
- Our maximum HR remains the same, however with training one can tolerate a higher HR for longer.
- SV is affected the most by training as physical changes to the heart (increase in the left ventricle) result in a higher SV, thus more cardiac output. (CO)