Blood Pressure Flashcards
Systole
The phase of the heartbeat when the heart muscle contracts and pumps blood from the chambers into the arteries
Diastole
The phase of the heartbeat when the heart muscle relaxes and lets the chambers fill with blood
Blood pressure
Pressure of the blood against the walls of the blood vessels, especially the arteries
What are the 3 main types of blood vessel
Arteries
Veins
Capillaries
What is an artery?
Generally take blood away from the heart
What is a vein?
Carries blood to the heart and carry blood at a lower pressure than the arteries
What are capillaries?
Distribute blood within the organs, one cell thick, blood pressure is very low
Vascular shunting
When you exercise, the distribution in your blood changes. Your muscles need a lot more blood for movement, so your body works to get more blood to your muscles
Red blood cells
Most of the cells in your blood are discs called red blood cells or erythrocytes
High cell count
One cubic millimetre of the healthy blood contains an average of five million red blood cells - but this may vary considerably
White blood cells
The blood also contains transparent cells called white blood cells or leukocytes
Blood platelets
Blood platelets are formed in the red bone marrow. They are concerned with the production of a substance called thrombokinase, which is essential for the clotting of blood
Plasma
Blood plasma is a pale, straw-coloured liquid made up of 90% water. It is important in sport because, without circulation between the cells and the tissue, oxygen and transportation cannot happen - and that means muscles cannot get the energy they need to work.
