Overview of the CV System Flashcards
Define homeostasis
The process of maintaining the “constancy” of our internal environment (temperature, oxygen concentration, pH, osmolarity, etc.)
Briefly define the cardiovascular system
The CV system is an elaborate transport network for blood, nutrients, gases, hormones and waste products.
Transport in the CV system may occur by… (2)
diffusion
convection
Describe transport by diffusion (4)
Transport due to gradients in concentration.
- Diffusion is used for short distance transport (e.g. across capillaries).
- Substances move along their concentration gradients.
- Very rapid process
- Can move large quantities of material over short distances
Describe transport by convection
Transport of a constituent by bulk motion of fluid.
- Convection is used for long distances (e.g. from one organ to another)
- Substances dissolved or contained in the blood move along with the blood flow
No cell in the body is located farther than … from a capillary.
10um
Both transport by diffusion and transport by convection require…
fluid (water)
Describe the body water compartments.
Total Body Water = 45L (for a standard white male)
2/3 of TBW is INTRAcellular fluid (ICF)
1/3 of TBW is EXTRAcellular fluid (ECF)
* Interstitial fluid (ISF) is 3/4 of ECF
* Plasma is 1/4 of ECF
As blood passes through capillaries, solutes exchange between … and … by ….
As blood passes through capillaries, solutes exchange between PLASMA and INTERSTITIAL FLUID by DIFFUSION.
The right heart supplies…
the lungs (pulmonary circulation)
The left heart supplies…
the organs (systemic circulation)
The pulmonary and systemic circulation are …
a) in parallel
b) in series
b) in series
Most systemic organs are functionally arranged…
a) in parallel
b) in series
a) in parallel
Explain the two advantages of parallel arrangement of systemic organs
- Systemic organs receive arterial blood of identical composition (each organ receives freshly oxygenated blood, rather than “used” blood that has already passed through another organ).
- Flow through any of the systemic organs can be controlled independently (blood supply to specific organs can be increased or decreased without affecting blood flow to other organs).
What are blood conditioning organs?
They are organs that filter, replenish or modify the contents of blood to maintain overall homeostasis. Blood flow to these organs is in excess of that necessary to maintain basal metabolic needs.
Name 3 examples of blood conditioning organs
- Lungs: Replenish oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the blood
- Kidneys: Adjust electrolyte composition
- Skin: Regulate temperature
Describe the blood supply to organs that do not have a reconditioning function and name some examples.
These organs receive only enough blood flow to meet the metabolic needs of the tissue. Examples include the heart, brain and skeletal muscles.
How is flow through the vessels controlled (formula for flow)?
Flow (Q) = Pressure difference (ΔP) / Resistance (R)
- ΔP= Inlet pressure-Outlet pressure *
Define blood flow
Movement of blood through a vessel, tissue or organ (measured in volume/time).
Define resistance
Opposition to blood flow within blood vessels
How can we increase blood flow (2)?
Decrease resistance
Increase the pressure (increase inlet pressure or decrease outlet pressure)
How is blood flow regulated in the body most of the time?
By altering the resistance of the vasculature (more resistance means less blood flow and vice versa).
What is the equation for resistance? What factors does vascular resistance depend on?
Resistance = (8ηL)/(πR^4)
Resistance is directly proportional to the viscosity (η) of the blood and tube length (L).
Resistance is inversely proportional to the 4th power of the radius (R) of the tube.
What is Poiseuille’s law?
- Hint: combine the equation for flow with the equation for resistance *
Q = (ΔPπR^4)/8ηL
Flow is directly proportional to:
* pressure difference
* 4th power of the radius
Flow is inversely proportional to:
* viscosity of the blood
* length of the tube
Explain the implication of the flow being proportional to the fourth power of the radius of the tube.
Even minute changes in the internal radius will have a big influence on the resistance to flow and therefore the flow.
What generates the pressure difference in the CV system?
The heart generates the pressure difference, i.e. the driving force for flow
What is the normal mean arterial pressure, average central venous pressure and pressure difference in a standard individual?
- Mean arterial pressure: 100mmHg
- Average central venous pressure: 0mmHg
- Pressure difference = 100mmHg
Since the pressure difference is nearly identical across all systemic organs, cardiac output is distributed among the various organs primarily based on…
individual resistances to flow
The lower the resistance, the…
a) higher the flow
b) lower the flow
a) higher the flow (and vice versa)