Module 6: Cardiovascular Flashcards
CARDIAC CYCLE: PHASES
- Period of Atrial Systole/Pre-systole
- Isovolumic contraction period
- Rapid/Maximum Ejection
- Reduced Ejection
- Protodiastole
- Isovolumic Relaxation
- Rapid Filling
- Reduced filling/Diastasis
TIMING (Events on the 2 sides of the heart are similar
but somewhat asynchronous.)
- Right atrial systole precedes left atrial systole
- Contraction of right ventricle starts after that of left ventricle
- Right ventricle ejection begins before the left. Because pulmonary pressure is lower than aortic pressure.
- During inspiration, aortic valve closes slightly before the pulmonary valve. Due to the lower impedance and distensibility of the pulmonary vascular bed
- Normally between 0-4 mmHg
- PEAKS
A Wave - A TRIAL CONTRACTION
C Wave - C ONRACTION OF VENTRICLES – OVERBULGING OF AV VALVES
V Wave – V ENOUS BLOOD GOING TO THE ATRIUM
ATRIAL PRESSURE PULSE
We plot this curve at 80 mm Hg level because aortic pressure is always high. Remember that:
- Blood Vessels are always in a condition or state of being slightly filled with blood
- Aorta made up of elastic tissues therefore can be stretched within limits
- If remove stretch — recoils
The rise and fall of Aortic Pressure Pulse reflects the balance between:
- The volume of blood entering the aorta from the heart
2. The volume of blood leaving the aorta and draining into the periphery, called ‘PERIPHERAL RUN-OFF”
- When ejection exceeds run-off, Aortic Pressure increases
- When run-off exceeds ejection, Aortic Pressure __
goes down or decreases
- Occurs during the distal third of diastole
- Preceded by p-wave in the ECG
- Slight increase in atrial pressure, ventricular pressure and ventricular volume
- NOT essential for ventricular filling
Atrial Contraction
- Preceded by QRS complex in the ECG
- First Heart Sound (S1) is heard
- Increase in ventricular pressure BUT ventricular volume remains the same
- Ventricular Pressure
Isovolumic Contraction
- Ventricular Pressure > Aortic Pressure
- *Semilunar valves open
- Rapid Increase in Ventricular Pressure, Decrease in Ventricular Volume
Rapid Ventricular Ejection
- T-wave occurs in the ECG
- Decrease in ventricular pressure, decrease in ventricular volume
Reduced Ventricular Ejection
- Ventricular Pressure Atrial Pressure
- *AV valves are still closed
- Decrease in ventricular pressure BUT ventricular volume remains the same
- Second Heart Sound Heard (S2)
Isovolumic Relaxation
- Ventricular Pressure
Rapid Ventricular Filling
- Reduced increase in ventricular volume
- Middle 1/3 of diastole
Reduced Ventricular Filling
- are vibrations caused by turbulent flow of blood and contraction of ventricular muscle, which are transmitted through the supporting tissues and to the chest wall
HEART SOUNDS
- associated with the closure of the AV valves at the onset of systole and isovolumetric ventricular contraction
- Soft closure
- slightly prolonged, soft, low-pitched
- duration of 0.15 seconds
- splitting when mitral valve closes before tricuspid valve
- heard best at MITRAL AND TRICUSPID AREA
FIRST HEART SOUND (S1)– “LUB”
- occurs at the end of systole as the pulmonary and aortic valves closed
- Snapping closure
- shorter, louder, high-pitched
- duration of 0.12 secs
- inspiration causes splitting of 2nd HS because aortic valve closes slightly before pulmonary valve
- heard best at PULMONIC AND AORTIC AREA
SECOND HEART SOUND (S2)–“DUP”
- associated with the rapid in rush of blood during rapid ventricular filling
- soft, low-pitched, duration of 0.1 sec
- recordable in from 26 to 85% of normal person
- maybe present 0.04 to 0.12 seconds after the onset of the second sound
- is most common in the presence of mitral stenosis
- normal in children
THIRD HEART SOUND (S3)
- associated with the atrial systole / contraction of the atrium – filling of ventricle
- recorded in 25% of normal person
- sometimes heard immediately before 1st heart sound
- not audible in normal adults
- audible in persons with left ventricular hypertrophy associated with hypertension
- present also when atrial pressure is high
FOURTH HEART SOUND (S4)
- are abnormal heart sounds which can be produced by:
1. blood flowing rapidly in the usual direction through an abnormally narrowed valve (STENOSIS)
2. blood flowing backward through a damaged, leaky valve (INSUFFICIENCY)
3. blood flowing between the 2 atria or 2 ventricles through a small hole in the wall separating them.
MURMURS
A murmur heard throughout systole suggest __
stenotic semilunar valve or insufficient AV valve
A murmur heard during diastole suggests __
stenotic AV valve or an insufficient semilunar valve
Occasionally, a 3rd heart sound is heard which give rise to a triple beat that resembles the hoof beats of a galloping horse, called __. Most frequently associated with congestive heart failure.
GALLOP RHYTHM
The function of the ventricles is described by three parameters
- Stroke volume
- Ejection Fraction
- Cardiac output
CARDIODYNAMICS
- The volume of blood ejected on one ventricular contraction or the volume ejected on one beat (ml/beat)
- The difference between the volume of blood in the ventricle before each ejection and the volume remaining in the ventricle after each ejection
- SV = EDV – ESV
STROKE VOLUME
- The fraction (percent) of the EDV that is ejected in each stroke volume
- The ratio of SV to EDV and normally 60% to 65%
- Expressed by the ff equation:
EF = SV/EDV - A valuable index of ventricular function (contractility)
- Increases in EF reflects an increase in contractility
- Decreases in EF reflects a decrease in contractility
EJECTION FRACTION
When strength of contraction increases without an increase in fiber length, more blood in the ventricle is expelled, thus, __
EF increases and ESV decreases
- The total volume of blood ejected per minute
- CO (ml/min) = SV (ml/beat) x HR (beats/min)
- Direct proportionality true within limits
- If HR remains constant, CO increases in proportion to Stroke Volume (SV). Thus factors that increases SV can increase CO
- If SV remains constant, CO increase in proportion to HR up to about 180 beats/min
- HR and SV do not always change in the same direction
Cardiac Output
Cardiac Output
CO = Stroke Volume (EDV-ESV) x Heart Rate
Factors that affect cardiac output: Heart Rate (100 beats/min) – 70 beats/min
- respiration
- body temp.
- electrolyte concentration
- exercise
- emotions
- is the quantity of blood flowing from the veins into the right atrium each minute. The __ and the cardiac output must equal each other except for a few heartbeats at a time when blood is temporarily stored in or removed from the heart and lungs.
Venous return
EFFECT OF RESPIRATION ON HEART RATE
Inspiration → ↑ heart rate
Expiration → ↓ heart rate
Inspiration → ↓ Intrathoracic Pressure → ↑ venous return (right atrium) → ↑atrial volume → (+) atrial stretch receptors → ↑ heart rate
- the stretched right atrium initiates a nervous reflex called the __, passing first to the vasomotor center of the brain and then back to the heart by way of the sympathetic nerves and vagi, also to increase the heart rate.
Bainbridge Reflex
This law states that when increased quantities of blood flow into the heart, the increased blood stretches the walls of the heart chambers. As a result of the stretch, the cardiac muscle contracts with increased force, and this empties the extra blood that has entered from the systemic circulation. Therefore, the blood that flows into the heart is automatically pumped without delay into the aorta and flows again through the circulation.
Frank-Starling law of the heart
Factors Affecting Stroke Volume
- PRELOAD
- The load that stretches the cardiac muscle before contraction
- The degree of tension on the muscle when it begins to contract.
- Considered to be the end diastolic pressure, when the ventricle has been filled - AFTERLOAD
- Degree of vascular resistance to ventricular contraction
- The load against which the muscle exerts its contractile force - Inotropic State – Myocardial Contractility
FACTORS THAT INCREASE CONTRACTILITY (POSITIVE INOTROPISM)
Increased heart rate
- more Action Potential per unit time
- more Ca++ enters myocardial cell during plateau of Action Potential
- more Ca++ released from Sarcoplasmic Reticulum
- greater tension produced during contraction
Control of Stroke Volume
A) HETEROMETRIC
- regulation of Stroke Volume as a result of changes in cardiac muscle fiber length (Frank Starlings Principle)
B) HOMEOMETRIC (includes nervous and hormonal control)
- not dependent on muscle length
HOMEOMETRIC REGULATION: Nervous Control (autonomic nervous system)
sympathetic → ↑ distensibility and force of ventricular contraction
parasympathetic → ↓ atrial force of contraction
HOMEOMETRIC REGULATION: Hormonal Control
- catecholamines → ↑ distensibility and force of ventricular contraction (cAMP on B1 adrenergic receptors)
- acetylcholine → ↓ atrial force of contraction (acting on muscarinic receptors )
- thyroxine
- glucagon → increases cAMP
Other Factors that increases stroke volume
- respiration agents
- caffeine
- theophylline (↑ cAMP)
- digitalis
- temperature
Factors that determine an adequate End Diastolic Volume:
- Filling time of Ventricle - dependent on cardiac rate
- Distensibility of Ventricle (Vent Compliance)
- Stronger Atrial Contraction
- INTRAPERICARDIAL PRESSURE
- Adequate Venous Return
- Increase in ventricular stiffness produced by Myocardial Infarction
- in heart failure, there must be a greater stretch of myocardium to achieve the needed Cardiac Ouput
- attained by administration of + inotropes
Distensibility of Ventricle (Vent Compliance)
- a minor factor
- not very essential for ventricular filling WHY:
- adequate filling is often observed in patients with atrial fibrillation, despite absence of atrial contraction
- severe Tachycardia period of ventricular systole becomes markedly shortened ventricular filling is seriously impaired despite the contribution of atrial contraction
Stronger Atrial Contraction
Contribution of Atrial Contraction is governed by:
- Heart rate - Moderate Tachy diastasis shortened therefore atrial contraction becomes substantial
- Stenotic AV Valve - Atrial contraction is important in ventricular filling
- when increased, limits the extent in which the ventricle can fill»_space; decreased EDV»_space; decreased CO
ex. Pericardial effusion – heart muscle - cannot stretch enough to receive blood from the atrium
INTRAPERICARDIAL PRESSURE
- flow of blood from periphery back to right atrium
- main determinant of cardiac output
- The degree of myocardial stretch created by venous return is called the PRE-LOAD on the heart
Adequate Venous Return (VR)
Factors that influences Venous Return
- Total Blood Volume
- Increased Venous Tone (constriction of veins)(Sympathetic Tone)
- venoconstriction
- reduces the size of venous reservoir
- decreases venous pooling
- increases VR - Posture
- gravitational force causes pooling of blood in the legs (venous pooling)
- standing decreases VR
- decrease CO because of pooling of blood in lower limbs - Skeletal Muscle Pump
- Respiratory / Thoraco – Abdominal Pump Practical Application : Cardiac patients refrain from Valsalva’s maneuver
- determined primarily by the balance between the force of contraction of the ventricle and aortic pressure.
a) force of myocardial contraction
b) aortic pressure load ( afterload )
END SYSTOLIC VOLUME
End Systolic Volume Determined by:
- AFTER LOAD
- In the left ventricle, afterload is equal to all the forces the muscle must overcome to eject at given volume of blood
- Dependent upon:
* Aortic pressure – the major contributor to afterload in the heart
* State of semilunar valves - CONTRACTILITY
- Increased myocardial contraction – decreased ESV
- Severely dilated heart (heart failure) – ESV can become much greater than SV
- Decreased by increases in myocardial contractility and heart rate
- Increased whenever heart is weakened (heart failure)
- Increased with increased outflow resistance (aortic valve stenosis, increased aortic pressure)
- Examination of ESV is clinically useful as an indicator of conditions affecting the heart
END SYSTOLIC VOLUME
Cardiac Output Varies According to:
- Level of activity of the body
- Strenuous exercise: Cardiac Outpu = 35 L/min
- Entire blood volume pumped around the circuit seven times per minute
- Cardiac Reserve - Size of Body (Surface Area)
- Cardiac Output increases in proportion to the surface area of the body, stated in terms of CARDIAC INDEX
- The amount of blood pumped out of the ventricle per minute per square meter of body surface area
- Cardiac Index = CO divided by body surface area
* Normal adults = 3 L/min/ sq.m.
* 10 yrs age = 4 L/min/ sq.m.
* 80 yrs age = 2.4 L/min/ sq.m.
- the difference between Cardiac Ouput at rest and the maximum volume of blood the heart is capable of pumping per minute
- The maximum amount of blood that can be pumped out by the heart above normal value
- Essential to withstand the stress of exercise
- Expressed in percentage
- Normal Young Adult = 300 - 400%
- Old Age = 200 – 250%
- Athletes = 500 – 600%
- Cardiac diseases = minimum or nil
CARDIAC RESERVE
- Work the heart performs on each beat
- Is equal force (aortic pressure) x Distance (SV)
- SW = AP x SV
- Cardiac work = ABP x SV
- amount of work done by right heart
STROKE WORK
Variations in Cardiac Output: Physiological Variations
- Sleep- no change
- Age
- Sex
- Body build
- Diurnal condition – low early morning
- Environmental conditions - Temperature above 37 degrees centigrade raises CO
- Emotional conditions – anxiety, excitement increases CO to 50%
- After meals – increased during first hour after meal to 30%
- Exercise – increases up to 700%
- Pregnancy – increased by 45 to 60 % during later pregnancy
- Posture – recumbent to upright, decreases CO because of pooling of blood in the lower limb
PATHOLOGICAL VARIATIONS: Cardiac Output increased in
- Fever due to oxidative process
- Anemia due to hypoxia
- Hyperthyroidism – increased basal metab
PATHOLOGICAL VARIATIONS: Cardiac Output decreased in
- Hypothyroidism
- Atrial fibrillation
- Congestive heart failure
- Heart block
- Hemorrhage
- Valvular lesions (insufficiency)
Measurement of Cardiac Output
- Direct Method
a. Use of cardiometer
b. Use of flowmeter
- Mechanical flowmeter
- Electromagnetic flowmeter
- Ultrasonic doppler flowmeter - Indirect Method
- Using FICK’s principle
- CO = O² consumed (in ml/min) / Arteriovenous O² difference
The heart rests upon the diaphragm and its apex is directed downward, forward and to the left. Strictly speaking, it is only the apical portion of the heart that goes beyond the sternum and occupies the left side of the chest.
Physiologic Anatomy of the Heart
- Normally heard / palpated at the the 5th ICS, LMCL
- Caused by ventricular contraction which rotates the heart, giving rise to a tap by the tip of the ventricle
Apex Beat
Enclosed in a 2-layered serous membrane, the PERICARDIUM, forming the pericardial sac
Visceral Layer - adheres to the surface of heart
Parietal Layer - attached to heart only at point of entrance of big vessels
Sac composed of fibrous connective tissue, not very distensible
- Helps prevent sudden overdistention of the heart chambers
- Congenital absence is NOT fatal
- Contains thin layer of serous fluid (30 mL) for lubrication
a progressive and sustained enlargement of the heart
Cardiac Hypertrophy
- an acute change in cardiac pressure
- Condition in which bleeding occurs between ventricle and pericardium due to puncture of coronary vessels during cardiac catheterization
- Bleeding compresses ventricles
Cardiac Tamponade
a slow progressive increase in pericardial fluid
Pericardial Effusion
scar tissue following __ in which inflamed pericardium eventually adheres to the epicardial tissues
Pericarditis
- condition that leads to irreversible changes and death of cardiac muscle cells.
- occurs when the blood supply to the myocardium is interrupted.
- manifested by chest pain that usually radiates to the lower jaw and shoulder.
Myocardial Infarction
FOR CONTRACTION
- normally non automatic
- main bulk of cardiac muscle
- examples: atrial muscle fiber; ventricular muscle fiber
FOR IMPULSE CONDUCTION
- automatic cells
- less abundant
- examples: SA node; AV node; Bundle of His; Purkinje fibers
Myocardial Cells
Physiologic Properties of the Heart
- Chronotropism / Autorhythmicity
- Dromotropism / Conductivity
- Bathmotropism / Excitability
- Inotropism / Contractility
- Spontaneously generates impulse without neural input
- Has an unstable RMP
- Has no sustained plateau
Action Potential of SA and AV Node
- Aka maximum diastolic potential
- The longest portion of the nodal Action Potential (AP)
- Accounts for the automaticity of nodal cells
- Slow depolarization produced by the opening of sodium channels → inward Na current
- Sodium current called If – f stands for funny
- Turned ON by repolarization from the preceding AP, ensuring that each AP is followed by another AP
- As threshold is reached (-40 mV), the T-type calcium channels open for the upstroke
Phase 4 (Pacemaker Potential)
- Increased calcium conductance
- Increased inward calcium current
- Calcium influx is carried by T-type calcium channels
- Not inhibited by calcium channel blockers like verapamil
Phase 0 (Upstroke)
Specialized Conduction System of the Heart
- SA Node (Node of Keith and Flack)
- AV Node
- Bundle of His: 0.12 m/s
- Bundle branches – right and left
- Purkinje system – spread throughout subendocardial region of ventricle
- Conduction velocity is 1.5 – 4 m/s
- Ventricular muscle fibers: 0.5 m/s
- 0.8 m/s
- Anterior interatrial tract
- Atrial muscle fiber: 0.3 m/s
- Internodal tracts
*Preferential pathway: 1.0 m/s
Anterior internodal tract of Bachman
Middle internodal tract of Wenckebach
Posterior internodal tract of Thorel
SA Node (Node of Keith and Flack)
- Node of Kent and Tawara: 0.05 m/s
- AN region (atrionodal) – site of principal delay
- N region (nodal/middle nodal) - where AV block most likely to occur
- NH (nodal His) – assumes pacemaker function is SA node is depressed
- Ensures that ventricles have sufficient to fill with blood before they are activated and eventually contract
- Slow conducting velocity is attributed to the small diameter of the nodal cells
AV Node
- Are irritable/excitable cells (able to respond to stimulus)
- Can be stimulated by:
Electrical energy – electrical current, defibrillator
Mechanical energy – blood stretching the heart
Chemical energy – epinephrine and norepinephrine - Can respond by:
Generating impulses / AP
Conducting impulses
Contracting - Their contraction requires
AP generated from SA node
ATP
Ca2+ from ECF (main source) and ICF/sarcoplasmic reticulum
Excitability: Myocardial cells
- Presents striations of dark and light bands
- Has the sarcomere as contractile
- Runs from Z line to Z line
- Contains thick filament (myosin) and thin filaments (actin, troponin & tropomyosin)
- Has sarcotubular system
THE MYOCARDIAL CELL STRUCTURE
Shortening occurs according to sliding filament model
- Skeletal Muscles – one sarcomere has 2 T-tubule system
- Cardiac Muscles – a sarcomere has only 1 T-tubule, located at Z line rather than at junction of A and I band
- T-tubule in cardiac muscle well developed, wider diameter, stores calcium also, form DIADS with the SR
- SR in cardiac muscle less developed, store less calcium, small diameter
- T-tubule have a diameter 5x as great as that of the skeletal muscles T-tubule (volume of 25x as great)
- Inside the T-tubules are mucopolysaccharides which are electronegatively charged and bind an abundant store of calcium
- Cardiac muscle functions as a __
- A stimulus applied to any one part of the cardiac muscle results in the contraction of the entire muscles
- 2 Syncytiums
1. Atrial Syncytium
2. Ventricular Syncytium
SYNCYTIUM
Other features of cardiac muscles
- Slow muscle - Cardiac muscle contracts repetitively for a lifetime thus requires continuous oxygen supply and so dependent on oxidative metabolism
- Very rich in mitochondria which contain the enzymes needed for oxidative Phosphorylation (sustains the myocardial energy requirements)
- Endowed with a rich capillary supply (one capillary per fiber) to provide adequate oxygen
- High content of MYOGLOBIN – a pigment which functions as an oxygen storage mechanism
Two different proteins are phosphorylated to produce the increase in contractility
- Phosphorylation of the sarcolemmal calcium channels that carry inward calcium current during Plateau phase.
- Phosphorylation of Phospholamban – a protein that stimulates calcium ATPase, resulting in greater uptake and storage of calcium by the SR.
Two factors determine how much calcium is released from the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum
- The size of the inward calcium current during the plateau of AP (size of the Trigger calcium)
- The amount of calcium previously stored in the SR for release.
**The larger the inward calcium current and the larger the intracellular stores, the greater the increase in intracellular calcium concentration and the greater the contractility.
The amount of extracellular calcium entering the cell during phase 2 (Plateau) is directly proportional to the:
- Extracellular calcium concentration
- Number of open calcium channels
- Duration of Action Potential
- Number of action potentials
FACTORS THAT INCREASE CONTRACTILITY (POSITIVE INOTROPISM)
- Increased heart rate
- more Action Potential per unit time
- more Ca++ enters myocardial cell during plateau of AP
- more Ca++ released from SR
- greater tension produced during contraction - Sympathetic Stimulation (Catecholamines) via B1 receptors increase force of contraction by 2 mechanisms:
- increases the inward Ca++ current during plateau phase
- increases the activity of Ca++ pump of SR by Phosphorylation of Phospholamban. Result is more Ca++ accumulated by SR, thus more Ca++ available in subsequent beats. - Xanthines (caffeine & theophylline)
- inhibit breakdown of cAMP
FACTORS THAT INCREASE CONTRACTILITY (POSITIVE INOTROPISM) 2
- Glucagon
- increases formation of cAMP used in some heart disease - Cardiac Glycosides (Digitalis)
- Increase force of contraction by inhibiting Na+, K+ - ATPase in the myocardial cell membrane. This increases intracellular Na+ which leads to increased availability of Ca++ - Length
- tension relationship in the ventricle Frank Starling’s Law of the Heart)
- direct relationship between initial fiber length and total tension developed
- at high degrees of stretch, the developed tension decreases. Not due to a decrease in the number of crossbridges between actin and myosin (skeletal muscle) because cardiac muscles do not reach this state. Severely dilated hearts not stretched to this degree
This enhanced contractility helps the heart eject more blood with each contraction and helps compensate for reduced filling time that is associated with tachycardia
a. positive staircase or BODWITCH STAIRCASE
- Increased HR increase the force of contraction in a stepwise fashion as the intracellular calcium increases cumulatively over several beats
- Force-frequency relationship
b. Post - extra systolic potentiation
- the beat after an extra systole has increased force of contraction because extra calcium entered the cells during the extra beat independent of ventricular filling
- due to increased availability of intracellular Ca††
FACTORS THAT DECREASE CONTRACTILITY
- Parasympathetic stimulation (Ach) via muscarinic receptors, decreases force of contraction by decreasing the inward calcium current during plateau phase of AP
- Calcium blocking agents
Ex. Verapamil - long acting
Nifedipine (Calcibloc) - short acting
- Impedes slow Ca++ channel – reducing the amount of Ca++ ions that enter the myocardial cells during plateau phase, thus diminishing strength of contraction
- Used in treatment of hypertension
- Hypercapnia
- Hypoxia
- Acidosis
- Drugs – barbiturates (quinidine, procainamide)
- Heart failure – Myocardial ischemia
Optimal concentrations of Na†, K† and Ca†† are necessary for cardiac muscle contraction (Sodium and Potassium)
- without Sodium - heart not excitable, will not beat
- reduction in extracellular Potassium
- has little effect on myocardial excitation and contraction
- increases in extracellular Potassium (hyperkalemia)
* loss of excitability of myocardial cells
* cardiac arrest in diastole called
- Potassium Inhibition – heart dilated and flaccid
Optimal concentrations of Na†, K† and Ca†† are necessary for cardiac muscle contraction (Calcium)
- removal of Ca++ from ECF results in
→decreased contractile force
→arrest in diastole
- increase in ECF Ca++ -enhances contractile force
- spastic contraction
- arrest in systole (Calcium Rigor)
The strength of cardiac contraction depends to a great strength on the cone, of Ca++ in the ECF
CONDITIONS AND AGENTS THAT CAN ALTER THE INOTROPIC STATE OF THE HEART
- Myocardial ischemia (lack of oxygen to heart) – results in inhibition of the calcium channels therefore (-) Inotropism
- Acidosis (increased plasma H+) – inhibits myocardial contractility
- Cardiac glycosides
- Have large amount of elastin in their walls.
- Highly distensible – this serves to dampen the pulsatile blood flow when blood is ejected from the ventricles and converted to a steady flow in the capillaries
- If arterial system not distensible, all blood during systole will flow to the peripheral vessels, no flow will occur during diastole
AORTA AND PULMONARY ARTERY
- thick walled with extensive development of elastic tissue, smooth muscle and connective tissue
- Transport blood under HIGH PRESSURE to the tissues.
- The volume of blood contained in the arteries called STRESSED VOLUME (blood volume under high pressure
Arteries
- The last small branches of the arterial system
- With extensive development of smooth muscle
- The medium-sized arterioles are the sites of highest resistance in the circulatory system called RESISTANCE VESSEL
- Act as CONTROL CONDUITS through blood is released to the capillaries.
Arterioles
(Arterioles)
Various factors that fall into two categories can influence the contractile activity, changing the resistance to blood flow in these vessels
- Local controls which are important in matching blood flow to the metabolic needs of specific tissues
- Extrinsic controls important in ABP regulation
- innervated by S fibers
- Alpha 1 adrenergic receptors arterioles and skin and splanchnic vascular (activation – vasoconstriction)
- Beta 2 adrenergic receptors in the arteriole of skeletal muscles (activation – vasodilation)
- Vasoconstrictor fibers exhibit tonic activity
- Ex. Sympathectomy – vasodilation
- Vasodilator fibers - no tonic activity
Arterioles
- exchange vessels
- thin – walled
- lined with single layer of endothelial cells, surrounded by a basal lamina
- lipid soluble substances (Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen) - cross capillary wall by dissolving in and diffusing across endothelial cells
Capillaries