Hemodynamics Flashcards
Define blood pressure
Amount of pressure exerted against the inside walls of the arteries as blood travels through the systemic and pulmonary circuits
What are the factors that determine blood pressure mathematically?
Flow x resistance = pressure
What determines flow in blood pressure?
Cardiac output
What determines resistance in blood pressure?
Vascular tone
What are the three components that ultimately control blood pressure?
Heart
Blood
Vessels
How does the heart affect blood pressure?
Controls cardiac output
How does the blood affect blood pressure?
Amount of fluid in the circulatory system will affect blood pressure
Thickness of said blood will also affect blood pressure
How do the vessels affect blood pressure?
Vessel diameter affects the pressure required to move blood through them
Define systolic blood pressure
Pressure exerted against the walls of the arteries when the heart contracts during systole
Define diastolic blood pressure
The pressure exerted against the walls of the arteries when the heart relaxes during asystole
What is the normal difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure?
40 mmHg
When the difference between systolic and diastolic BP is less than 40, what is that called?
Narrowed
When the difference between systolic and diastolic BP is greater than 40, what is that called?
Widened
What is the difference between diastolic and systolic BP called?
Pulse pressure
What is pulse pressure used for?
Good indicator of cardiovascular events
What does an increased pulse pressure indicate?
More stress on artery
More stress on left ventricle
Potential limitation in coronary perfusion
What does a decreased pulse pressure indicate?
Cardiac tamponade
Decrease in left ventricular stroke volume
What can cause a strong pulse?
Increased stroke volume
Hypertension
What can cause a bounding pulse?
Aortic insuffiency
Atherosclerosis
What can cause a weak/thready pulse?
Decreased contractility
Hypovolemia
Low systemic vascular resistance
What does a bounding pulse feel like?
rapid/strong initial pressure follow by a quick fall off
What can cause pulsus alternans?
CHF
What can cause pulsus paradoxus?
Severe airway obstruction
Cardiac tamponade
What does pulsus alternans feel like?
Pulse strength alternates from beat to beat