CVS 8 Special Circulations Flashcards
What are the main features of the pulmonary circulation?
Pulmonary which accepts entire cardiac output and works with low resistance due to short, wide vessels and lots of capillaries connected in parallel (low resistance) and arterioles with little smooth muscle. Low resistance means runs under low pressure
What two circulations do the lungs have?
pulmonary and bronchial
What does the bronchial circulation do?
meets metabolic requirements of lungs
What is the mean pressure in the pulmonary artery?
12-15mmHg
What is the mean pressure in the pulmonary capillaries?
9-12mmHg
What is the mean pressure in the pulmonary veins?
5mmHg
What is the cardiac output at rest?
5l/min
What us the max cardiac output in a non-athlete?
20-25l/min
What is the pressure in the right atrium?
0-8mmHg
What is the pressure in the left atrium?
1-10mmHg
What are the pressures in the left ventricle?
Systolic- 100-140mmHg
Diastolic-1-10mmHg
What are the pressures in the right ventricle?
Systolic- 15-30mmHg
Diastolic-0-8mmHg
What are the pressuresin the aorta?
100-140mmHg
60-90mmHg
What are the pressures in the pulmonary artery?
15-30mmHg
4-12mmHg
How are the lungs adapted to promote efficient gas exchange?
High density of capillaries in alveolar wall
Short diffusion distance (combined endothelium and epithelium 0.3um)
large surface area
The rate of what two processes must be matched for efficient oxygenation?
ventilation and perfusion
What is the optimal ventilation/perfusion ratio?
0.8
How do the lungs maintain the optimal ventilation-perfusion ratio?
diverting blood from alveoli that arent well ventilated as alveolar hypoxia results in vasoconstriction of pulmonary vessels ensuring perfusion matches ventilation
When can chronic hypoxia occur?
at altitude and as a consequence of lung disease like emphysema
What can chronic hypoxic vasoconstriction cause and how?
Right ventricular failure
chronic increase in vascular resistance giving chronic pulmonary hypertension
This gives high afterload on right ventricle leading to failure