Autonomic control of cardiovascular function Flashcards
(Cardiovascular regulation) What is the sympathetic NS responsible for?
Kicks in when there’s too little perfusion
What is the parasympathetic NS responsible for?
Kicks in when there’s too much perfusion
What are 3 mechanisms of regulating tissue perfusion?
Change cardiac output (CO = SV - stroke volume x HR)
Change blood vessel tone (arteriolar resistance) - vasoconstriction = increased pressure
Change preload (venous return to the heart)
Baroreceptors are ___ located in the walls of ___ and ___
There are 2 categories of baroreceptors. What are they and where are they located?
Baroreceptors are stretch receptors located in the walls of heart and blood vessels
Baroreceptor types: high and low pressure receptors:
High pressure: carotid sinus, aortic arch
Low pressure: right and left atria
Describe the Bezold-Jarisch reflex
Stimulation of cardiac receptors (spec ventricular vagal C fibers) leads to triad of bradycardia, hypotension and apnea (aka Bezold-Jarisch reflex)
**note that this is mediated by chemo receptors throughout the heart: atria, ventricles great veins, pulmonary art, juxtacapillary region of alveoli**
What is the function of mechanoreceptors in cardiovascular regulation?
Mechanoreceptors decrease sympathetic tone/increase vagal tone in response to increased blood pressure (in the left ventricle)
Arterial baroreceptors are more sensitive to changes in blood pressure aka pulse pressure. What are the effects of an increase in pulse pressure (3 things)?
***Remember that your pulse pressure is the difference between your systolic and diastolic BP***
Arterial baroreceptors are more sensitive to changes in blood pressure (so changes in systolic and diastolic pressure)
Increased pulse pressure (or pressure difference) >>increased baroreceptor firing >>inhibition of sympathetic tone, activation of vagal tone in the heart (the point is to lower the pressure back to normal)
Since phenylephrine is an alpha agonist, how does it lower heartrate?
Phenylephrine lowering heartrate by affecting baroreceptor firing (RR interval depicts heartrate. The shorter RR interval = faster heartrate, wider RR interval = slower heartrate)
**indirect effect of phenylephrine - normally phenylephrine increased vasoconstriction of peripheral vasculature but here it lowers heartrate by decreasing sympathetic tone**
Define the following:
Chronotropy
Dromotropy
Inotropy
Lusotropy
What is the effect of sympathetic stimulation on each of the above?
What is the effect of sympathetic stimulation on vagal parasympathetic stimualtion?
**see below**
**increased HR, contractility etc**
**inhibits vagal PS stimulation**
What is the effect of parasympathetic stimulation on cardiac function?
What are the effects of atropine on cardiac function?
Parasympathetic innervation counters the effects of sympathetic stimulation (decrease HR, contractility)
Atropine – parasympatholytic – blocks parasympathetic stimulation >> excessive sympathetic stimulation
What are the effects of sympathetic innervation to the vasculature?
What are the effects of sympathetic stimulation of arteries in skeletal muscle?
**see below**
Sympathetic innervation to vasculature: vasoconstriction (more in arterioles, a little in veins - mostly splanchnic veins)
Effects on skeletal muscle arteries is actually vasodilation (makes sense b/c you need increased perfusion>>O2 to those working muscles)
What are the physiologic effects of baroreceptor discharge (5)?
Arterial vasodilation
Venodilation
Decreased blood pressure, heart rate and cardiac output
How does shock develop?
Shock: inadequeate tissue perfusion >> tissue hypoxia >> hypotension >> multi-organ failure
*don’t know what happens first tho**
The ANS response to shock is ___
The ANS response to shock is a pressor response resulting in increased mean arterial pressure
Blood will move from venous reserve into the arterial system to increase preload in the heart
Increase vascular resistance/tone in arterioles/peripheral resistance vessels
What is the role of the sympathetic nervous system in exercise?
The main goal of the sympathetic NS in exercise is to increase perfusion to the muscles
**
increased heart rate, contractility
increased venous tone >> increased blood from venous system to arterial system >> increased preload
Describe the valsalva maneuver
What are the effects of the valsalva on ANS feedback loops?
What is neurocardiogenic syncope?
It’s basically when you have an increase in parasympathetic stimulation that results in fainting
There are 3 types of presentations of neurocardiogenic syncope, namely ___, vasodepressor and ___
There are 3 types of presentations of neurocardiogenic syncope, namely cardioinhibitory, vasodepressor and mixed response
Describe cardioinhibitory presentation of syncope. What heart condition (tachycardia/bradycardia) is this most often ass’d with?
Increased parasympathetic tone; ass’d with bradycardia
Describe the vasodepressor presentation of neurocardiogenic syncope
Decreased sympathetic tone >> hypotension
Describe the mixed response presentation of neurocardiogenic syncope
Both decreased heart rate and blood pressure
How does neurocardiogenic syncope occur? (i.e. describe the pathogenesis)
Inappropriately high (exaggerated) vagal afferent activity coming to the medullary center (nucleus tractus solitarius) results in:
Sympathetic withdrawal – [vasodepressor] and/or
Increased parasympathetic tone- [cardioinhibitory]
Name 3 other triggers of vagal efferents
Pain
Visual and temporal lobe stimuli
Noxious stimuli