Chapter 20- Cardiovascular Flashcards
Layers of the Arteries
Lumen (middle, blood flow) Tunica Intima (Endothelium, subendothelial layer, internal elastic membrane) Tunica Media (Smooth Muscle and elastic fibers, external elastic membrane) Tunica Externa (Vasa Vasorum)
Elastic Arteries
Large thick-walled arteries with elastin. Aorta and major branches. Large lumen offers low-resistance pressure reservoirs, Expand and recoil as blood ejected from heart.
Muscular Arteries
Distal to elastic arteries. Thick tunica media with more smooth muscle. Active in Vasoconstriction.
Arterioles
Smallest arteries leading to capillary beds, control flow into capillary beds via vasodilation and vasoconstriction.
Capillaries
Microscopic blood vessels, walls of thin tunica intima
Pericytes support their walls, control permeability, in all tissues except for cartilage, epithelia, cornea and lens
Function of Capillaries
Exchange of gases, nutrients, wastes, hormones between blood and interstitial fluid.
Venules
Formed when capillary beds unite,porous, allow fluids and WBC’s into tissues, consist of endothelium and a few pericytes
Veins
Return blood to heart for reoxygenation, thinner walls, larger lumens, lower blood pressure than arteries
Venous Sinus
Flatten veins with extremely thin walls
Venous Valves
Prevent backflow of blood
Anastomoses
Alternative pathway to given body region
Factors that affect the physiology of circulation
Blood Flow
Blood Pressure
Resistance
Blood Flow
Volume of blood flowing in a given period of time (ml/min) = (CO cardio output) Relatively constant when at rest
Blood Pressure
Force per unit area exerted on wall of blood vessel by blood - provides driving force that keeps blood moving from higher to lower pressure area.
Resistance
Opposition to flow measure of amount of friction blood encounters with vessel walls, generally in peripheral (systemic) circulation.
3 Factors that affect Resistance
Viscosity
Blood Vessel Length
Blood Vessel Diameter
Viscosity
Stickiness of blood due to formed elements and plasma proteins, increased viscosity = increased resistance
Blood Vessel Length
Longer Vessel = Greater resistance encountered
Blood Vessel Diameter
Greatest influence on resistance, varies inversely with 4th power of radius (if radius is doubled, resistance is 1/16) Vasoconstriction = increased resistance.
Pericytes
support walls, control permeability
Arterial blood pressure reflects two factors of arteries close to heart
Elasticity (compliance or distensibility)
Volume of blood forced in them time
Blood pressure near heart is pulsatile
Systolic pressure
pressure exerted in aorta during ventricular contraction
Averages 120 mm Hg in normal adult
When DR. Listening, is pressure when sounds first occur
Diastolic pressure
lowest aortic pressure
When Dr. Listening, is pressure when sounds disappear as blood flows freely
Pulse pressure
systolic - diastolic
Mean arterial pressure (MAP)
pressure that propels blood to tissues
MAP = diastolic pressure + 1/3 pulse pressure (BP = 120/80; MAP = 93 mm Hg)
Capillary blood pressure
Low is desirable because high BP would rupture thin-walled capillaries
Most very permeable, so low pressure forces filtrate into interstitial spaces
Venous blood pressure
Small gradient; about 15 mm Hg
Low pressure due to cumulative effects of peripheral resistance
Factors Aiding Venous Return
Muscular pump: contraction of skeletal muscles “milks” blood toward heart; valves prevent backflow
Respiratory pump: pressure changes during breathing move blood toward heart by squeezing abdominal veins as thoracic veins expand
Venoconstriction under sympathetic control pushes blood toward heart