Cardiovascular Physiology Flashcards
What is shock?
An abnormality of the circulatory system resulting in inadequate tissue perfusion and oxygenation.
Ultimately it leads to cellular failure.
How do you calculate the Mean arterial pressure?
MAP= Cardiac output (CO) x Systemic vascular resistance (SVR)
Define the cardiac output
volume of blood pumped by each ventricle of the heart per minute.
How do you calculate the cardiac output
stroke volume x heart rate
Adequate tissue perfusion depends on what?
- Adequate blood pressure.
2. Adequate cardiac output.
Define stroke volume.
The volume of blood ejected by each ventricle per heart beat
What types of shock are there?
- Cardiogenic
- obstructive
- distributive
- Hypovolemic
What happens during hypovolaemic shock?
- Blood loss causes decrease in blood volume
- Decrease in venous return
- decreased end diastolic volume
- decreased stroke volume
- decreased cardiac output and decreased blood pressure.
- inadequate tissue perfusion.
What happens during cardiogenic shock?
Sustained hypotension caused by decreased cardiac contractility.
- decreased cardiac contractility
- decreased stroke volume
- decreased cardiac output and decreased blood pressure
- inadequate tissue perfusion.
What happens in obstructive shock?
tension pneumothorax
- increased intrathoracic pressure.
- decreased venous return
- decreased end diastolic volume
- decreased stroke volume
- decreased cardiac output and decreased blood pressure.
- inadequate tissue perfusion
What happens in neurogenic shock?
- loss of sympathetic tone to blood vessels and heart
- Massive venous &arterial vasodilation- effects heart rate
- Decreased Venous Return
Decreased SVR (TPR)
Decreased Heart Rate - Decreased Cardiac Output
Decreased blood pressure - Inadequate Tissue Perfusion
What happens during vasoactive shock?
- release of vasoactive mediators
- massive venous and arterial vasodilation also increased capillary permeability
- decreased venous return and decreased systemic vascular resistance.
- Decreased Cardiac Output
Decreased blood pressure - Inadequate Tissue Perfusion.
How should you treat shock?
- ABCDE approach
- high flow oxygen
- volume replacement- except for cardiogenic shock
- call for HELP early
- Inotropes for cardiogenic shock- makes contractility better.
- immediate chest drain for tension pneumothorax (2nd intercostal space)
- Adrenaline for anaphylactic shock
- Vasopressors for septic shock
What is the difference between the two main types of hypovolaemic shock?
- Non haemorrhagic shock causes ECFV to decrease. Haemorrhagic shock does not
When can compensatory mechanisms maintain blood pressure till?
When blood volume loss is greater than 30%
How many classes of haemorrhagic shock are there?
4
what are the two types of hypovolaemic shock?
- Haemorrhagic shock- haemorrhage from trauma, surgery or GI haemorrhage
- non haemorrhagic shock- vomiting, sweating and diarrhoea
What are the characteristics of haemorrhagic shock?
- tachycardia- via baroreceptor reflex
- small volume pulse- decreased stroke volume
- cool peripheries - CO decreases and Increase in SVR via baroreceptor reflex
- MAP decrease after >30% of blood loss
How can mean arterial pressure be calculated using the diastolic blood pressure?
MAP= DBP + 1/3 Pulse pressure
What is SVR regulated by?
vascular smooth muscles
What is the main site of SVR?
Arterioles.
Contraction of vascular smooth muscles causes what?
Vasoconstriction
Increases SVR and MAP
What does relaxation of vascular smooth muscle cause?
Vasodilation
Decrease SVR and MAP
Resistance to blood flow is directly proportionate to what?
Blood viscosity and length of blood vessel
Resistance to blood flow is indirectly proportionate to what?
Inversely proportional to the radius of blood vessel to the power 4.
Write the equation relating to resistance to blood flow.
R ∝ η.L
r4
What is the vasomotor tone.
Describes the smooth muscle being partially contracting at rest.
Resistance to blood flow is mainly controlled by what?
Vascular smooth muscles through changes in the diameter of arterioles
What type of nerve fibres are vaso smooth muscles supplied by?
ii. What is the neurotransmitter used and what receptor?
Sympathetic.
ii. Noradrenaline and alpha receptor
What causes the noradrenaline to be released?
tonic discharge
increased tonic discharge= vasoconstriction
decreased tonic discharge= vasodilation
When is there parasympathetic intervention of arterial smooth muscles?
For the penis and clitoris.
Where is adrenaline produced from?
The adrenal medulla.
What occurs if adrenaline acts on an alpha receptor?
ii. Where would this be found normally?
vasoconstriction.
ii. Skin, gut and kidney arterioles.
What occurs if adrenaline acts on a beta 2 receptor?
ii. where would this be found normally?
Vasodilation.
ii. Cardiac and skeletal muscle arterioles.
What do each hormones cause:
i. Angiotensin II
ii. Antidiuretic
i. Vasoconstriction
ii. Vasoconstriction
What factors lead to vasodilation and metabolic hyperaemia?
Decreased local PO2
Increased local PCO2
Increased local [H+] (decreased pH)
Increased extra-cellular [K+]
Increased osmolality of ECF
Adenosine release (from ATP)
Give examples of Humoral agents which cause vasodilation.
Histamine
Bradykinin
Nitric Oxide (NO) - continuously released
Give examples of Humoral agents which cause vasoconstriction.
- serotonin
- Thromboxane A2
- Leukotrienes
- Endothelin
What is a local humoral agent
ii. when are they released?
Local chemicals released in an organ.
ii. Response to Tissue injury or inflammation
What is blood pressure?
The hydrostatic pressure exerted by the blood on vessel walls.
Define systemic systolic arterial blood pressure.
ii. What value should it not exceed?
Is the pressure exerted by blood on the walls of the aorta and systemic arteries when the heart contracts.
ii. 140 mm Hg
Define systemic diastolic arterial blood pressure?
ii. What value should it not fall below?
Is the pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of the aorta and systemic arteries when the heart relaxes
ii. 90 mm Hg
What are the values of hypertension?
i. clinically
ii. day time average?
i. 140/90 mm Hg
ii. 135/85 mm Hg
What is the pulse pressure?
ii. What is its average value?
Difference between systolic and diastolic pressure.
ii. 30-50 mm Hg
What is laminar flow?
ii. is it audible in a artery through a stethoscope?
Normal blood flow moving in its vessels through layers. with each layer moving smoothly past the adjacent layers with little or no mixing
ii. No- not in a healthy subject anyway
How would you be able to hear arterial blood pressure?
If the cuff pressure(external presure) is in between the values of the systolic and diastolic pressures. This makes the blood flow turbulent.
Is turbulent blood flow audible in a stethoscope?
yes.
What are the 5 korotkoff sounds?
ii when do you hear them?
Sound 1 - Is heard at peak systolic pressure. It is the systolic BP value
Sound 2/3 - Intermittent sounds ,Heard when turbulent spurts of flow exceeds cuff pressure
Sound 4 -Muffling sound
Sound 5 - No sound here but is the diastolic pressure’s value. Smooth laminar flow is now occuring
ii. Sound 1,2,3 - Cuff pressure is in between the 120-80 mm Hg
Sound 4 and 5 when cuff pressure is lower than 80 mm Hg
what is the role of the Pressure gradient?
ii. How do you calculate?
Gradient between aorta and the right atrium drives the blood around the systemic circulation
ii.MAP- Central venous pressure (CVP)
(RA pressure is close to 0 so main driving force for blood flow is MAP)
The systolic period of the cardiac cycle is just as long as the diastolic period true or false?
false- diastolic period is twice as long as the systolic period in the cardiac cycle.
Normal systolic pressure is?
<140 mm Hg
Normal systolic pressure is?
<90 mm Hg
Normal range of mean arterial pressure is?
ii. What happens if it is below 60 mm Hg
70-105 mm Hg
ii. Need to perfuse coronary arteries and kidneys.
What is the second equation when calculating the mean arterial pressure?
CO (or SV x HR) x Stroke volume
What is the role of the baroreceptor reflex?
Short-term Regulation of Mean arterial Blood Pressure.
includes prevention of postural changes
What are the two types of baroreceptors?
ii. What nerves do they use to send signals to the medulla?
Carotid sinus
Aortic arch
ii. Carotid - IXth Glossopharyngeal nerve
Aortic - Xth vagus nerve
Describe what the baroreceptor reflex does to prevent decrease in blood pressure.
e.g. when a person stands up suddenly when lying down for a long time
Gravity effect:
- Gravity causes venous return to decrease
- MAP decreases - reduces rate of firing from baroreceptors
Response:
- Vagal tone decreases/ sympathetic tone increases
- This leads to Increase in HR and SV (stroke volume)
- Sympathetic constrictor tone increases- SVR increases
- Sympathetic constrictor tone to the vein increases the venous return and the stroke volume
Result:
rapid correction of MAP transient fall
HR increases
SV increases
SVR increases
n.b. response and result are opposite if reflex is for blood pressure to high
What are the causes of postural (orthostatic) hypotension?
When baroreceptors fail to respond to gravitational shift in blood from horizontal to vertical position.
Give examples of risk factors for postural hypotension?
Age related Medications Certain diseases Reduced intravascular volume Prolonged bed rest
Symptoms for postural hypotension
lightheadedness dizziness blurred vision faintness falls
Why do baroreceptors only work work on acute related blood pressure issues?
Baroreceptors firing decreases if high blood pressure is sustained
fire again only if an acute change in MAP above the new higher steady state level (they re-set)
Baroreceptors cannot supply information about prevailing steady state blood pressure
Control of MAP in the longer-term is mainly by control of Blood Volume
What is stenosis?
narrowing of the vessel lumen
Describe the pathophysiology of renal artery stenosis.
Reduced lumen diameter decreases the pressure at the afferent arteriole in the kidney and reduces renal perfusion. This stimulates renin release by the kidney, which increases circulating angiotensin II and aldosterone. These hormones increase blood vlume and causes vasoconstriction and enhances sympathetic activity. This leads to both an increase in systemic vascular resistance and increase cardiac output.
Describe how stress causes an increase in hypertension.
Activation of Sympathetic nervous system. Release of noradrenaline from nerves increases cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance. Adrenal medulla secretes more noradrenaline and adrenaline . Circulation of angiotensin II is increased and if prolonged, can lead to cardiac hypertrophy.
What is the definition of haemostasis?
arrest of blood loss from a damaged vessel – at the site of injury involves in sequence
Describe the process of haemostasis
i Vascular wall damage exposing collagen and tissue factor (TF, thromboplastin)
ii Primary haemostasis
local vasoconstriction
platelet adhesion, activation and aggregation (by fibrinogen)
iii Activation of blood clotting (coagulation) and the formation of a stable clot (by fibrin enmeshing platelets)
What does vessel damage expose?
ii. What reacts to this exposure?
Collagen.
This causes platelets to bind and become activated.
What does the activation of platelets cause?
- extend pseudopodia
2. synthesise and release thromboxane A2 (TXA2)
What does TXA2 bind to?
- platelet GPCR TXA2 receptors (aka TP receptors) causing mediator release [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT – aka serotonin) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP)]
- vascular smooth muscle cell TXA2 receptors causing vasoconstriction that is augmented by mediator 5-HT binding to smooth muscle GPCR 5-HT receptors
What does ADP bind to?
ii. What does this cause?
Purine receptor
ii. Act locally to activate further platelets
Cause increased expression of platelets glycoprotein receptors causing aggregation of platelets into a soft plug
expose acidic phospholipids on the platelet surface that initiate coagulation of blood and solid clot formation
What is inactive factor X converted to ?
ii. What activates it?
Active factor Xa
Tenase
What is inactive factor II converted to?
ii. What activates it?
thrombin
Prothrombinase
What is thrombosis
ii. What are its causes?
Pathological haemostasis - a haemotological plug in the absence of bleeding.
ii. Predisposing factors are Virchow’s triad :
Injury to vessel wall
ABNORMAL BLOOD FLOW
Increased coagulability
What are the two types of thrombus?
White thrombus (arterial)
Red thrombus (venous)
Describe the process of white thrombus.
mainly platelets in a fibrin mesh
forms an embolus if it detaches from its site of origin (e.g. left heart, carotid artery) often lodges in an artery in the brain (stroke), or other organ
primarily treated with antiplatelet drugs
Describe the process of red thrombus.
red thrombus: white head, jelly-like red tail, fibrin rich
if detaches forms an embolus that usually lodges in the lung (pulmonary embolism)
primarily treated with anticoagulants.
What does Warfarin do to the clotting factors?
Prevents activation of clotting factor II VII, IX and X
What are the roles of anticoagulants?
ii. What is a major risk of using them?
deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
prevention of post-operative thrombosis
patients with artificial heart valves
atrial fibrillation- when atria aren’t pumping efficiently causing blood to be static and therefore will coagulate.
ii. Cause haemorrhage.
What is warfarin structurally related to?
ii. What does it compete for
Structurally related to vitamin K with which it competes for binding to hepatic vitamin K reductase preventing production of the active hydroquinone
Describe warfarins characteristics?
is administered orally and is very well absorbed
has a slow onset of action (2-3 days) whilst inactive factors replace active -carboxylated factors that are slowly cleared from the plasma. Heparin may be added for rapid anticoagulant effect
has a long (and variable) half-life (usually about 40 hr)
Warfarin has a high therapeutic index true or false?
false - Can be very difficult to strike the balance between anticoagulant effect and haemorrhage.
What factors increase the risk of haemorrhage when using warfarin?
liver disease – decreased clotting factors
high metabolic rate – increased clearance of clotting factors
drug interactions
agents that inhibit hepatic metabolism of warfarin by CYP2C9 (consult BNF)
drugs that inhibit platelet function (e.g. aspirin, other NSAIDs)
drugs that inhibit reduction
What factors increase the risk of thrombosis and weaken the effect of warfarin?
physiological state – pregnancy (increased clotting factor synthesis) – hypothyroidism (decreased degradation of clotting factors)
vitamin K consumption
drug interactions
agents that increase hepatic metabolism of warfarin (consult BNF)
What is the role antithrombin III?
Antithrombin III (AT III) is an important inhibitor of coagulation which neutralises all serine protease factors in the coagulation cascade by binding to their active site in a 1 to 1 ratio
Heparin binds to antithrombin III, increasing its affinity for serine protease clotting factors [particularly Xa and IIa (thrombin)] to greatly increase their rate of inactivation.
Give examples of special adaptations of coronary circulation.
High Capillary density
High basal blood flow
High oxygen extraction ( approx 75% compared to 25% whole body average) at rest .
What does high oxygen extraction mean?
This means extra O2 (when required) cannot be supplied by increasing O2 extraction
Can only be supplied by increasing coronary blood flow .
Describe the effect of intrinsic mechanism on coronary blood flow.
decrease Po2 causes vasodilatation of the coronary arterioles
Metabolic hyperaemia matches flow to demand
Adenosine (from ATP) is a potent vasodilator
Describe the effect of extrinsic mechanism on coronary blood flow.
Coronary arterioles supplied by sympathetic vasoconstrictor nerves.
However:
Over-ridden by metabolic hyperaemia as a result of increased heart rate and stroke volume
So sympathetic stimulation of the heart results in coronary vasodilatation despite direct vasoconstrictor effect (functional sympatholysis)
Circulating adrenaline activates beta 2 adrenergic receptors, which cause vasodilatation.
when does peak left coronary flow occur?
ii. what does this do?
iii. what vessels are not compressed during this period to allow peak flow to occur?
during diastole.
ii. shortens diastole.
the subendocardial vessels from the left coronary artery are not compressed.
How is blood supplied blood?
via internal carotids and vertebral arteries.
Grey matter is very sensitive to hypoxia true or false?
true-irreversible cell damage occurs within 3 minutes.
Give examples of special adaptations of cerebal circulation?
BASILAR (formed by two vertebral arteries) & CAROTID arteries anastomose to form CIRCLE OF WILLIS
Major cerebral arteries arise from Circle of Willis
Cerebral perfusion should be maintained even if one carotid artery gets obstructed.
AUTOREGULATION of cerebral blood flow guards against changes in cerebral blood flow if mean arterial blood pressure changes within a range (~ 60 - 160mmHg)
Direct sympathetic stimulation has very little effect in overall cerebral blood flow
Participation of the brain in baroreceptor reflexes is negligible, which is just as well!- otherwise constant vasoconstriction would occur.
What happens if mean arterial blood pressure in cerebal blood rises?
Resistance vessels automatically constrict to limit blood flow.
What happens if mean arterial blood pressure in cerebal blood falls?
Resistance vessels automatically dilate to maintain blood flow.
When does autoregulation fail?
If MABP falls below 60 mm Hg (falls)
If MABP rises above 160 mm Hg (rises)
What happens if MABP falls below 50 mm Hg?
confusion, fainting, and brain damage if not quickly corrected.
What happens if PCO2 increases?
cerebral vasodilatation
What happens if PCO2 decreases?
ii. what happens if hyperventilation occured?
cerebal vasoconstriction
ii. constant change in partial pressure = fainting.
What is the normal range in intercranial pressure?
8-13 mm Hg
How do you calculate Cerebral perfusion pressure?
CPP= Mean arterial pressure- Intercranial pressure.
What happens if ICP increases?
Auto regulation of cerebral blood flow fails.
What is the blood brain barrier?
Intercellular junctions between cerebal capillaries.
What are BBB permeable to?
ii. what are they impermeable to? whats good about this?
oxygen co2
Cerebral capillaries have very tight intercellular junctions- This helps protect brain neurones from fluctuating levels of ions etc in blood.
What is the normal range of pulmonary artery BP?
systolic : 20-25 mm Hg
Diastolic : 6-12 mm Hg
What are the special adaptations of pulmonary circulation?
pulmonary pressure is lower than systemic pressure
Absorptive forces exceed filtration forces - protects against pulmonary oedema
Hypoxia causes VASOCONSTRICTION of pulmonary arterioles. this is opposite to effect on systemic arterioles. this diverts blood from poorly ventilated parts of lungs.
Why is the resting blood flow of skeletal muscle blood flow?
Resting blood flow is low because of sympathetic vasoconstrictor tone.
Skeletal muscle blood flow doesn’t decrease during exercise true or false?
false.
What mechanisms occur to allow for skeletal muscle blood flow to increase during exercise?
During exercise, local Metabolic hyperaemia overcomes sympathetic vasoconstrictor activity
Circulating adrenaline causes vasodilatation (beta 2 adrenergic receptors)
Plus increase cardiac output during exercise, these could increase skeletal muscle blood flow many folds.
Describe the role of the skeletal muscle pump.
Large veins in limbs lie between skeletal muscles
Contraction of muscles aids venous return
One-way venous valves allow blood to move forward towards the heart
Skeletal muscle pump reduces the chance for postural hypotension & fainting
What are Varicose veins?
Varicose veins are swollen and enlarged veins that usually occur on the legs and feet. They may be blue or dark purple, and are often lumpy, bulging or twisted in appearance.
why do Varicose veins usually not lead to reduction of cardiac output.
because of chronic compensatory increase in blood volume
What is the expected value of total cholesterol for a person with a previous MI?
3.5-4 mmol.
What are capillaries made of?
single layer of endothelial cells.
What is the function of capillaries?
Allow rapid exchange of gases,water and solutes with interstitial fluid.
What is the role of terminal arterioles?
Regulate regional blood flow to the capillary bed in most tissues.
What is the role of Precapillary Sphincters?’
Regulate flow in some tissues such as Mesentry.
Blood flow through capillary bed is very slow true or false?
true-allows time for exchange.
Explain how each of the following types of molecues move across the capillary wall?
i. Water soluble
ii. lipid soluble
iii. Exchangeable proteins
iv. plasma proteins.
i. pass through pores
ii. Pass through the endothelial cells
iii. Vesicular transport
iv. Cannot travel through wall. (too big)
How do fluids travel through capillary wall?
Bulk flow. pressure gradient