Cardiovascular Physiology 5 Flashcards
Imagine an artery splitting into 4 arterioles, how would constriction in one arterioles affect the others?
When vessel B constricts, resistance of B increases and flow through B decreases. Flow diverted from B is divided among the lower resistance vessels A, C and D
What are the other factors affecting blood flow, aside of constriction?
- myogenic control
- active hyperemia
These are 2 local mechanisms
Outline myogenic autoregulation of blood flow- organs
- Increase in blood pressure leads to increased afferent arterioles stretch
- Increased afferent arterioles stretch leads to non-specific cation channels open
- Non-specific cation channels open leads to depolarization
- Depolarization lead to calcium channels to open
- Afferent arteriole contracts as a result of calcium channels opening
Outline how active hyperemia locally regulates blood flow
- Increased tissue metabolism leads to release of metabolic vasodilators into ECF
- Increase release of metabolic vasodilators into ECF cause the arterioles to dilate
- Arteriole dilation decreased resistance
- Decreased resistance leads to increased blood flow
- Increased blood flow cause blood flow to match metabolism
What are the major local factors that contribute to vasodilation to match flow with metabolic demand?
-decreased oxygen, increased carbon dioxide, increased protons, increased potassium
Adenosine and nitric oxide (NO)
Describe the structure of the artery
Thick wall( mean diameter =4 mm)(mean wall thickness= 1 mm)
Increased elastic tissue; ‘compliance’
Describe the structure of the arteriole
Thin diameter( mean diameter= 30 um)(mean wall thickness= 6 um) lots of smooth muscle; major resistance vessels & control blood flow to organs
Describe the structure of a capillary
Leaky epithelium; exchange of nutrients and gases
Describe the structure of a venue
Thin diameter
Describe the structure of a vein
Large diameter(mean= 5 mm), some muscular coating, compliant, sympathetic control
How does ventricular relaxation and contraction affect pressure and direction
Ventricular contraction- ventricle contracts, semilunar valve opens, and aorta and arteries expand and store pressure in elastic walls
Ventricular relaxation- isovolumeric ventricular relaxation occurs, semilunar valve shuts, preventing flow back into ventricle, and elastic recoil of arteries sends blood forward into rest of circulatory system
Why does arterioles pressure fall?
- Arterial pressure does not drop to zero because of arterial compliance
- Pressure drop is greatest at arterioles. This is the site of greatest resistance (60%).
- Pressure drops progressively from capillaries to veins
What is mean arterial pressure?
Is the driving force that keeps the blood moving forward continuously through the blood vessels
MAP= diastolic pressure+ 1/3(systolic -diastolic pressure ) or (pulse pressure)
Fluid flows only if…
If there is a positive pressure gradient
No pressure gradient= no flow
Flow depends on difference(triangle) in P, not absolute P
Explain the mathematical relationship of 🔼 P in cardiovascular flow
Blood flows from high P to low P
Flow inversely proportional to 🔼P/R(resistance )
- R inversely proportional to radius, viscosity & length