Arteries, Veins, PVR Flashcards
what is PVR
peripheral vascular resistance
what are arterioles
smaller arteries
what does the vascular role play an active role in
regulation of blood pressure and distribution of blood flow to tissues
what are the blood vessels of the body
- arteries
- arterioles
- capillaries
- venules
- veins
how is the mean arterial pressure calculated
diastolic blood pressure plus one third of the pulse pressure
which factors can impact the mean arterial pressure
the cardiac output and the total peripheral resistance
what does the pulse pressure represent
the force the heart generates with each contraction to overcome the arterial resistance
what is the afterload
the force against which the heart must contract to eject blood into the arteries
what are the parameters that can influence pulse pressure
stroke volume
ejection velocity of stroke volume
arterial compliance
what can increase pulse pressure
increase in stroke volume
increase in ejection velocity
less complacency in the arteries
describe the walls of the arteries
thick and muscular with large quantities of elastic tissue
what do arteries act as a reservoir for
pressure, maintaining blood flow through tissues during diastole
what are the major branches of the aorta
subclavian
common carotid
iliac
describe the blood content of arteries
low volume, high pressure
what are the muscular arteries
coronary and renal arteries
diameters of small arteries
less than 2mm
diameter of arterioles
20-100 micrometers
where are arterioles found
within organs and tissues
why is there variable resistance in the arterioles
to distribute the blood and dissipate most of the aterial blood pressure
how large is the cross sectional area of the aorta
small
how large is the cross sectional area of the capillaries
large
why do capillaries get described as having a large surface area
they form large networks within tissues and have a large overall cross sectional area
what is the lumen diameter of the capillaries
5-10 micrometers
how does the size of the lumen of capillaries compare to the diameter of erythrocytes
the same size roughly
what does flow of capillaries depend on
the flow from arterioles
how do red blood cells flow in smaller capillaries
single file
how thick are the capillary cell walls
one cell thick
how thick are capillary walls
20 micro meters
function of capillary walls
allow optimal exchange between blood and tissues via fenestrations
what diffuses from the capillaries to the tissues
gases and glucose
what do the capillary walls lack
tunica media and tunica adventitia
how do veins compare to arteries
larger lumen and diameter, thinner vessel walls, work at low pressure
how much of total blood volume is within the veins
70%
what is the purpose of venous valves
they prevent the backward flow of blood
what can happen to the venous walls or valves if there is loss of elasticity
they can become weakened, causing turbulent blood flow within the vessel
what can cause varicose veins
distension of vessel walls caused by a weakening in the elasticity of the venous walls and valves
how many layers are there to the vessel wall structure (all apart from capillaries)
three
what are the three layers found in the blood vessels apart from the capillaries
- tunica intima
- tunica media
- tunica adventita
what is the tunica intima
- endothelial cells attached to a basement membrane
- has an underlying layer of extracellular matrix
- separated from the media by the internal elastic lamina
what is the tunica media
- layers of elastin fibres and smooth muscle cells, in which the proportion is dependent on whether it is an elastic or a muscular artery
- high elastin content, enabling vessel wall expansion during systole and recoil during diastole
what is the tunica adventitia
- external layer of vessel wall
- separated from the media by external elastic lamina
- thick connective tissue, elastic and collagen fibres
- contains a network of nerve fibres, lymphatics and smaller arterioles which perfuse from the outer media
what are vasa vesorum
the small arterioles that perfuse from the outer media - vessels of vessels
when is there vaso vasorum in the tunica adventita of vessels
only in the larger arteries is this found
what is meant by the compliance of blood vessels
the ability of the blood vessel wall to passively expand and recoil in response to changes in pressure
what is compliance in relation to volume and pressure
change in volume over change in pressure
what does compliance reflect about a vessel
its buffering function
describe arterial compliance
this is when the arterial wall expands to accommodate the ventricular stroke volume, allowing it to act as a pressure reservoir
what happens to the compliance of arteries during diastole
the wall will recoil to help drive the flow of blood within the artery
what does arterial compliance decline with
age
what can a decline in arterial compliance do to pulse pressure
increase
what is anteriosclerosis
arterial stiffness due to calcificaion of elastin, collagen and extracellular matrix in the vessel walls
what forms the inner lining of the entire blood vessel system and the heart
the endothelial cells
what is the inner lining of the blood vessel
the tunica intima
how are endothelial cells arranged in the blood vessels
along the axis of the blood vessel to minimise shear stress and provide a friction free surface for blood flow
how do endothelial cells regulate the permeability of blood vessels
they form a selective barrier between blood and tissues
what are endothelial cells
highly specialised cells that play a key role in cardiovascular function
list the functions of endothelial cells
- form the tunica intima
- inner lining of the heart
- provide a friction free surface for blood flow
- regulate the permeability of blood vessels
- regulate platelet function and fibrinolysis
- promote angiogenesis and vessel remodelling
what is angiogenesis
the process of new capillaries forming out of preexisting blood vessels in the body
where is the vascular smooth muscle found in the vessel walls
in the tunica media
function of vascular smooth muscle
- control total peripheral resistance
- contral arterial and venous tone
- control distribution of blood flow
- provide elasticity
- determine the vessel radius by contraction and relaxation
describe the shape of smooth muscle cells
single nuclei, spindle shaped, non striated
what does vascular smooth muscle secrete to give vessels their elastic properties
extracellular matrix
how is vascular tone altered
through the contraction or relaxation of the vascular smooth muscle cells
what is vasoconstriction
contraction of the vascular smooth muscle to narrow the vessel lumen and reduce the radius
what is vasodilation
relaxation of vascular smooth muscle to widen the vessel lumen and increase the radius
what is local control of blood pressure
this refers to the mechanism of altering small artery and arteriole resistance in organs and tissues, and is done through self regulation of blood flow and also include regulation by autocrine and paracrine substances
which hormones are involved in the local control of blood pressure
adrenaline
atrial natriouretic peptide
angiotensin 2
how does adrenaline locally control blood pressure through vasodilation
circulates in the blood and binds to beta two adrenoreceptors, leading to vasodilation
this occurs via an increase in cAMP and reduced calcium sensitivity, meaning there is relaxation of the smooth muscle cells
how does adrenaline locally control blood pressure through vascoconstriction
when at high concentrations, the adrenaline binds to alpha one adrenoreceptors
this causes contraction
how does atrial natriuretic peptide function in local control of blood pressure
vasodilator by regulating sodium balance and blood volume. released when the atria of the heart are stretched or stimulated by other factors, and causes the kidneys to excrete more sodium and water, lowering the blood volume and blood pressure.