Lecture 6: control of APB Flashcards
How is mean blood pressure calculated?
Diastolic pressure plus 1/3 of the pulse pressure
(pulse pressure is the difference between systolic and diastolic pressures)
How does mean blood pressure change with age?
Increases
Is mean blood pressure higher in men or women (between puberty and menopause)?
Men
What can increase pulse pressure?
Reduced arterial compliance (atherosclerosis)
If blood can flow away faster in diastole
- occurs in exercise when TPR drops
- pathologically if aortic valve leaks
What is the principle variable controlled by the cardiovascular system?
Arterial blood pressure
How can Darcy’s law be used to represent the whole circulation?
ABP = CO x TPR
What are the 2 main factors that affect ABP?
CO and TPR
these are largely independent of each other
What are the 3 mechanisms for monitorring blood pressure within the body?
- High pressure baroreceptors
- Low pressure baroreceptors
- Arterial chemoreceptors
Where are baroreceptors found in the body?
Carotid sinus
Aortic arch
Afferent renal arterioles
How is the vasomotor centre inhibited?
Stimulation of nucleus tractus solotarius in the medulla
What is shock?
When cardiac output is insufficient to adequately perfuse organs
What are the typical signs of shock?
Hypotension
Tachycardia
(may be accompanied by low urine output and loss of consciousness)
What causes hypovolaemic shock?
Failure of CO due to a severe loss of circulating volume
What are the 3 types of shock associated with cardiovascular physiology?
Hypovolaemic
Cardiogenic
Disruptive
What range of pressures are coverred by baroreceptors?
Why can they cover such a long range?
50-200mmHg
Different baroreceptor fibres have different sensitivities to blood pressure
How does sensitivity to blood pressure vary between carotid and aortic baroreceptors?
Carotid sinus is more sensitive than the aortic arch
Aortic arch can respond to pressures above which the carotid sinus response saturates
What is the effect of denervation of arterial baroreceptors on ABP?
Increased variability of ABP
Mean ABP stays relatively constant
What is responsible for short term control of ABP?
What physiological stresses cause an increased variability in ABP?
Exercise and changes in posture
What is the primary role of chemoreceptors in the carotid and aortic bodies and the medulla?
To regulate ventilation
How are chemoreceptors important in controlling ABP?
Not important in blood pressure control in normal circulation
Important in ABP control when blood pressure or PO2 are very low as high pressure baroreceptors are relatively unresponsive under conditons of severe hypotension
How do chemoreceptors detect and respond to low blood pressure?
- Low O2 and high CO2 detected by chemoreceptors in the medulla via resultant drop in brain pH
- afferent signals from carotid and aortic bodies travel via the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves respectively
What are cardiopulmonary baroreceptors?
Low pressure baroreceptors located at junctions of atria with corresponding veins and within the atria itself
What do low pressure baroreceptors detect?
Change in RAP
What does a high RAP suggest?
The circulation is overfilled such that the heart cannot maintain low venous pressures
May lead to oedema as capillary pressures rise