Haemodynamics Flashcards
What is blood pressure?
The difference between the pressure in the system and the ambient pressure.
What are the two components of blood pressure?
- Dynamic pressure produced by the pump
- Hydrostatic pressure of the fluid.
Resistors in series and in parallel
In series they are connected in a single path
In parallel they are connected along multiple paths
What is the effect of adding more resistors when in parallel ?
Decreases the total resistance of the system
What is the effect of adding more resistors when in series ?
Increases the total resistance of the system
What do changes in smooth muscle tone lead to ?
Vasoconstriction and vasodilation
Where is the greatest resistance in blood vessels found ?
Arterioles
What is total fluid energy?
- Potential energy acquired from the beating of the heart
- Kinetic energy of the fluid itself
What is the notch in the arterial pulse pressure wave caused by ?
Closure of the aortic valve
What do the numbers mean in a blood pressure reading ?
Top- systolic pressure
Bottom- diastolic pressure
Effect of gravity on blood pressure
Above the heart, arterial pressure decreases with height
Which animal doesn’t fit the pattern of blood pressure ? Why ?
Giraffe has a much higher bp.
As there is a much larger distance between the heart and head.
How does a giraffe bend down to drink without damaging circulation and the blood vessels ?
Due to dilation of vessels in the lower body, causing a decrease in blood pressure
