CVS Flashcards
Describe the 3 factors that affect diffusion rate
Area: determined by capillary density
Diffusion Resistance: determined by the nature of the barrier & molecules diffusing, distance required to travel
Concentration Gradient: determined by flow of blood through the capillary.
What’s the average range of blood flow through the entire system?
5.0 l/min (rest) to 25.0 l/min (strenuous exercise)
What’s the level of blood flow that must be maintained to the brain at all times?
0.75 l/min
Where does the blood lie in our body?
65% veins
20% heart and lungs
10% peripheral arteries
5% capillaries
What’s the difference between arterioles and metarterioles?
In metarterioles the smooth muscle layer is not continuous, only present at sphincters
Name the 3 major types of artery
Elastic conducting (widest) Muscular distributing (intermediate diameter) Arterioles (narrowest, diameter
Name the 3 layers of the walls of arteries and veins
Tunica intima (next to lumen) Tunica media (intermediate) Tunica adventitia (outermost)
Is vasoconstriction of muscular arteries controlled by sympathetic or parasympathetic nerve fibres?
Synpathetic
What is an end artery?
A terminal artery supplying all or most of the blood to a body part without significant collateral circulation. If occluded there is insufficient blood supply to the dependent tissue
Describe the 3 types of capillaries
Continuous - (most common) cells joined by tight or occluding junctions
Fenestrated - little interruptions exist across thin parts of the endothelium (in parts of gut, endocrine glands)
Sinusoidal (discontinuous) - larger diameter, slower blood flow. Gaps exist in the walls allowing whole cells to move between blood and tissue (in liver, spleen and bone marrow)
What do pericytes do?
Form a branching network on the outer surface of the endothelium. Capable of dividing into muscle cells, fibroblasts, during angiogenesis, tumour growth or wound healing
What are 3 possible routes of transport across the endothelial wall of a fenestrated capillary?
- Direct diffusion
- Diffusion through intercellular cleft
- Diffusion through fenestration
Where is the preferred emigration site of leukocytes from the blood?
Postcapillary venules
What are venae comitantes?
Deep paired veins that accompany one of the smaller arteries. The pulsing of the artery promotes venous return within the adjacent, parallel, paired veins. The 3 vessels are wrapped together in one sheath. E.g. brachial, ulnar, tibial comitantes
Why do we need a cardiovascular system?
Most cells far away from source of O2 and nutrients, a system is required to carry such to cells and carry waste products away.
Define systole
Contraction and ejection of blood from the ventricles
Define diastole
Relaxation and filling of the ventricles
For how long does a cardiac action potential last?
~280ms
Lasts the duration of a single contraction of the heart
Where is the tricuspid valve located?
Between the right atrium and the right ventricle
Where is the mitral valve located?
Between the left atrium and the left ventricle
Where is the pulmonary valve located?
Between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery
Where is the aortic valve located?
Between the left ventricle and the aorta
What are the cusps of the mitral and tricuspid valves attached to?
Attached from the valves to papillary muscles via chordae tendineae (prevents inversion of valves on systole)
Name the 7 phases of the cardiac cycle
- Atrial contraction
- Isovolumetric contraction
- Rapid ejection
- Reduced ejection
- Isovolumetric relaxation
- Rapid filling
- Reduced filling
Why does atrial pressure initially decrease during rapid ejection?
Atrial base is pulled downwards as ventricle contracts
Give 3 things which may lead to congenital heart defects
- Genetics (Marian’s, downs, turners syndromes)
- Environmental (teratogenicity from drugs, alcohol ect.)
- Maternal infections (rubella, toxoplasmosis, diabetes)
How are congenital heart defects classified?
Acyanotic (left to right shunts)
Cyan optic (right to left shunts, complex)
What is the approximate resting membrane potential for a cardiac monocyte
-90mV
Ek =-95mV
What’s the major difference between cardiac action potentials and skeletal muscle action potentials?
Cardiac action potentials are much longer in duration (100ms compared to 0.5ms in skeletal)
What causes the ‘plateau’ in a cardiac action potential?
Opening of voltage gated Ca2+ channels
What causes the upstroke of a cardiac action potential?
Opening of voltage-gated Na+ channels
What is If?
Funny current!
What is repolarisation due to in the cardiac action potential?
Efflux of K+ through voltage-gated K+ channels
What causes the gradual increase in membrane potential of the funny current?
Influx of Na+ via HCN (Hyperpolarisation-activated Cyclic Nucleotide-gated channels). The more negative, the more it activates (activated at potentials
What causes the upstroke in the SA node action potential?
Opening of voltage gated Ca2+ channels
What causes the downstroke of the SA node action potential?
Opening of voltage-gated K+ channels
Give 3 features of cardiac muscle
Striated Central nuclei Intercolated discs connecting cells Gap junctions (permit movement of ions and electrically couple cells) Desmosomes rivet cells together
Where does Ca2+ come from when it is used to stimulate contraction of muscle?
25% enters across sarcolemma
75% released from SR (intracellular stores)
What type of receptor causes initial influx of Ca2+ in muscle upon depolorisation?
L-type Ca2+ channels
What occurs after localised Ca2+ entry has occurred upon depolorisation of a muscle cell?
Opening of CICR (Calcium-Induced Calcium Release) channels in the SR
There is a close link between L-type channels and Ca2+ release channels
What happens on relaxation of cardiac myocytes?
Ca2+ levels are returned to resting levels, mostly by pumping Ca2+ back into SR (via SERCA), some exits across cell membrane
How is contraction of vascular smooth muscle regulated?
Ca2+ binds to calmodulin - this activates MLCK (myosin light chain kinase). MLCK then phosphorylates the myosin light chain to permit interaction with actin.
How is relaxation of vascular smooth muscle achieved?
Myosin light chain phosphatase dephosphorylates the myosin light chain (constituently active)
What are the respective lengths of the pre and post ganglionic neurones in the parasympathetic (cranio-sacral outflow) system?
Pre-ganglionic: long
Post-ganglionic: short
What are the respective lengths of the pre and post ganglionic neurones in the sympathetic (thoraco-lumbar outflow) system?
Pre-ganglionic: short
Post-ganglionic: long
What neurotransmitter do preganglionic neurones release?
Acetylcholine ACh
Acts on nicotinic ACh receptors on the postganglionic neurone (receptors contain integral ion channel permeable to Na+ and K+)
What neurotransmitter do postganglionic sympathetic neurones usually release?
Noradrenaline (so are noradrenergic)
What neurotransmitter do postganglionic parasympathetic neurones usually release?
Acetylcholine (so are cholinergic)
Name an exception to the neurotransmitter released by postganglionic sympathetic neurones?
Innervation of sweat glands by postganglionic release of ACh which acts on muscadine can ACh receptors)
What do chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla release?
Adrenal chromaffin cells release adrenaline into the blood stream.
What are the benefits of having different subtypes of receptors/in different tissues?
Allows for diversity of action
Enables selectivity of drug action
Name 2 co-transmitters which may be released with noradrenaline or adrenaline at then postganglionic synapse with effector cells
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) ATP
What type of ACh receptors are on effector cells?
Muscarinic
What type of ACh receptors are on postganglionic neurones (proximal/receiving end)?
Nicotinic
What does the ANS control in the cardiovascular system?
Heart rate (but does not initiate electrical activity)
Force of contraction of the heart
Peripheral resistance of blood vessels
What effect does sympathetic input to the heart have?
Positive chronotropic effect (increases heart rate)
Positive inotropic effect (increases force of contraction)
Acts mainly on beta1 adrenoreceptors, release noradrenaline
What happens to the If (funny current) if the heart rate speeds up?
Slope steepens
Which receptors of the heart mediate the sympathetic effect?
Beta1
G protein coupled receptors, increase cAMP, speeds up pacemaker potential
Which receptors of the heart mediate the parasympathetic effect?
M2 receptors
G protein coupled receptors, increase K+ conductance and decrease cAMP
What type of adrenoreceptors do most arteries and veins have?
Alpha1 (sympathetic)
Coronary and skeletal muscle vasculature also have beta2 receptors
Has circulating adrenaline got higher affinity for beta 2 or alpha 1 receptors?
Beta2, therefore will preferentially bind to such.
What do activated beta2 adrenoreceptors cause?
Vasodilation
Increases cAMP, produces PKA, opens K+ channels, inhibits MLCK, relaxation of smooth muscle
What do activated alpha1 adrenoreceptors cause?
Vasoconstriction
Stimulates IP3 production
Increase in [Ca2+]in from stores and via influx of Ca2+, contraction of smooth muscle
What are the name of the receptors for high pressure side of the system?
Baroreceptors
What are the name of the receptors for low pressure side of the system?
Atrial receptors
Define flow
The volume of fluid passing a given point over a unit time
Define velocity
The rate of movement of particles along the tube
Where does blood flow fastest?
Where the total cross sectional area is least
Describe laminar flow
Gradient of velocity from middle to edge of vessel (velocity is highest in the middle, fluid is stationary at the edge)
Describe turbulent flow
As mean velocity increases, flow eventually becomes turbulent. Velocity gradient breaks down, fluid tumbles over itself. Flow resistance greatly increased.
What does mean velocity depend on?
Viscosity of the fluid
Radius of the tube
Define velocity
The extent to which fluid layers resist sliding over one another. The higher the viscosity, the slower the central layers will flow, and the lower the average velocity.
Give 2 potential causes of hyperviscosity syndrome
- Abnormally high plasma protein levels (treatment: plasmapheresis)
- Abnormally high RBC or WBC count (treatment: phlebotomy)
Note: underlying condition must be treated or HVS recurs.
How do you work out total resistance for resistances aligned in series?
Total resistance equals the sum of the individual resistances
How do you work out the total resistance for resistances aligned in parallel?
The reciprocal of the total resistance equals the sum of the reciprocal a of the individual resistance
Which vessels have the highest resistance?
Arterioles
When does blood flow become turbulent?
Flow velocity is high
Viscosity is low
Lumen of blood vessel is irregular (e.g. Athlerosclerosis)
What is a bruit?
Noise heard upon ausculation of turbulent bloodflow.
What happens to resistance in distensile vessels as blood pressure rises?
The vessel stretches, so resistance falls. The higher the pressure, the easier it is for blood to flow through.
Which vessels are the most distensible?
Veins
What is compliance?
The ability to distend and increase volume due to pressure increase
What is capacitance?
Measure of relative volume increase per unit increase in pressure C=V/P
Effectively the same as compliance
What is pressure?
Measure of mechanical energy gradient in blood that drives its flow round different parts of the system
What is total peripheral resistance (TPR)?
The sum of all arteriolar resistance
What is cardiac output?
Cardiac Output = Stroke Volume x Heart Rate
What is the ‘Windkessel’ effect?
Aortic compliance dampens pulsatile nature of systolic pressure wave. ‘Smooths out’ blood flow
What is the maximum arterial pressure called?
Systolic pressure (~120mmHg)
What is the minimum arterial pressure called?
Diastolic pressure (~80mmHg)
List 3 factors effecting systolic and diastolic pressure
- Cardiac output SVxHR (how hard heart is pumping)
- Arterial compliance (‘stretchiness’ of elastic arteries ~1.5-2%/mmHg)
- Total Peripheral Resistance
What is pulse pressure?
The difference between systolic and diastolic pressure ~40mmHg
What is the average pressure?
Diastolic pressure + 1/3 pulse pressure
Does the cardiac system spend more time in systole of diastole?
Diastole (~0.55s)
Compared to ~0.3s in systole
What controls the flow to capillary beds?
Arterioles and pre-capillary sphincters - ‘resistance vessels’
What are the levels of vasomotor tone at rest?
High - tonic contraction of smooth muscle
How is contraction of vascular smooth muscle achieved?
Release of noradrenaline by sympathetic nervous system, acts on alpha-1 GPCRs causing Ca2+ influx, therefore contraction
How is vascular vasodilatation achieved?
Achieved by local vasodilator factors produced by metabolically active tissues e.g. H+, CO2, K+, lactate
These act to relax vascular smooth muscle
What is the difference between vasodilation and vasodilatation?
Vasodilation - vasodilation in absence of vasoconstrictive signal.
Vasodilatation - reduction/offset of active vasoconstriction in presence of ongoing vasoconstrictive signal.
What regulates right atrium filling, and therefore stroke volume?
Veins/great veins
What controls total peripheral resistance?
Arterioles
At rest, what is the approximate mean arterial blood pressure?
~95mmHg
Why is the mean arterial blood pressure ~95mmHg?
This value is ‘engineered to humans’ - provides adequate pressure to perfume and drive blood through whole vasculature, ensuring positive central venous pressure
Significant functional reserve still available - many capillary beds not perfused
If hypotensive, at what value would mean arterial blood pressure falling below would tissue perfusion become inadequate?
60mmHg
What is the acute effect on the whole CVS of standing up?
CVP falls directly -RA filling decreases
Stroke volume decreases (by starlings law)
Mean arterial pressure falls (by ~20-25mmHg)
Both arterial and venous pressure falling acutely
This is signalled via baroreceptors
HR then increased (by ~10-25bpm) in response
What is the effect on the CVS of massive haemorrhage?
Hypovolemic shock if residual blood volume
How does exercise aid circulation?
Contractile activity of skeletal muscle in exercise actively aids whole circulation of blood (up to 50% of energy required to drive blood in circulation can come from muscle activity in exercise)
What is the response of the CVS to eating a large meal?
Local GI vasodilation leads to decrease in TPR. Initial decrease in arterial pressure. Flow out liver increases, leading to rise in CVP - rise in RA filling, so cardiac output increases
Parasympathetic activity increases
Greater flow to GI
What determines arterial pressure?
Cardiac output
Total peripheral resistance
What determines venous pressure?
Rate blood enters veins
Rate heart pumps
What is stroke volume?
End Diastolic Volume - End Systolic Volume
What is the relationship between venous pressure and ventricular volume know as?
The ventricular compliance curve
What is starlings law of the heart?
The more the heart fills, the harder it contracts (up to a limit). The harder it contracts, the bigger the stroke volume.
Rises in venous pressure automatically lead to rises in stroke volume.
What is contractility?
The EFFICIENCY of contraction (not the force!)
What does how much the ventricle contracts depend upon?
How hard it contracts
How hard it is to eject blood
What is the force of contraction dependent upon?
End diastolic volume (starlings law)
Contractility
Why, in starlings law of the heart, does the stretch of ventricular muscle only increase force of contraction up to a limit?
Beyond said limit tissue is damaged
What determines the difficulty of ejecting blood?
Total peripheral resistance
The harder it is to eject blood, the higher pressure rises in the arteries
What determines the end systolic volume?
The easier it is to eject blood, the more comes out in systole. So if arterial pressure falls, end systolic volume will fall, stroke volume will rise.
What will happen to stroke volume if venous pressure rises?
Stroke volume will rise
What will happen to stroke volume if arterial pressure rises?
Stroke volume will fall
How is autonomic outflow of the heart controlled?
Signals from baroreceptors
Carotid sinus senses arterial pressure, sends signals to medulla which then controls the heart
How is heart rate increased?
Increased sympathetic activity
Decreased parasympathetic activity
How is contractility increased?
Increased sympathetic activity
Where are rises in venous pressure detected?
Right atrium
Leads to reduced parasympathetic activity (therefore rise in HR)
‘Bainbridge reflex’
What do rises in venous pressure cause?
Increased stroke volume (starlings law)
Increased heart rate