Physiology 7 Flashcards
What is the difference between the resting autonomic tone of the heart and the peripheral blood vessels
Heart: Resting parasympathetic tone is needed to keep heart rate normal
Vessels: There is no resting parasympathetic tone.
What factors affect activity of the vasomotor centre?
Direct stimulation: CO2, hypoxia
Excitatory inputs: From cortex via hypothalamus; Pain; Carotid and aortic chemoreceptors
Inhibitory inputs: Cortex via hypothalamus; Lungs; Carotid, aortic and cardiopulmonary baroreceptors
Where is the vasomotor centre located?
Medulla oblongata
Describe and explain how the Valsalva manoeuvre affects systemic blood pressure
Phase I: Increased BP due to raised intrathoracic pressure
Phase IIa: Fall in BP due to compression of intrathoracic veins and thus reduced CO
Phase IIb: Increased HR and SVR due to hypotensive inibition of the baroreceptors
Phase III: On opening the glottis, CO is restored as intrathoracic pressure falls. BP initially falls however, due to aortic decompression. This is then counteracted by the baroreceptor reflex, normalising BP.
Phase IV: Combination of increased CO and baroreceptor inhibition leads to overshooting BP, causing baroreceptor stimulation and bradycardia - dropping BP
What would a valsalva manoeuvre in a person with autonomic neuropathy show?
Exaggerated BP fall during phase II due to lack of baroreceptor reflex
Lack of BP overshoot and thus reflex bradycardia in phase IV
Which vasoactive substances are released by the vascular endothelium?
Adenosine, bradykinin, histamine, nitric oxide - vasodilators
Thromboxane A2 - promotes plt activation
Prostacyclin - inhibits plt activation and is a vasodilator
Endothelins - very potent vasoconstrictors
What is the Windkessel effect?
The effect exerted by the arteries in converting pulsatile blood flow into constant, steady flow through elastic recoil during diastole
Relatively speaking, how much resistance do the capillaries contribute to SVR?
Very little, due to the very high total cross-sectional area for blood flow
What is the pressure range of the LVOT?
0-120mmHg
What is the pressure range of the arteries?
80-120mmHg
What is the pressure range of the arcade arterioles/collaterals?
60-80mmHg
What is the pressure range of the terminal arterioles?
40-60mmHg
What is the pressure range of capillaries?
15-35mmHg
What is the pressure range of the venules/post-capillary capacitance vessels?
8-12mmHg
Describe the structure of the arterial/venous wall
Tunica intima (squamous epithelial cells and surrounding subendothelial connective tissue)
Tunica media (circular elastic/connective tissue fibres and vascular smooth muscle)
Tunica adventitia (connective tissue, nerves, vasa vasorum)
What is the velocity of the ascending aortic blood flow?
approx. 1m/s (0.93m/s)
What is the role of the arterial system?
To convert high-velocity pulsatile flow to optimal low-velocity steady flow in capillary bed necessary for cellular exchanges
What are the functions of the vascular endothelium?
- Regulating basal vasomotor tone through vasodilators (eg. NO, PGI2, prostacyclin) and constrictors (endothelin, PAF)
- Acting as a non-thrombogenic surface (due to expression of heparan sulphate, protein C, protein S)
- Promoting laminar flow by presenting a smooth surface
- Regulating growth of surrounding connective tissue
What are the actions of Protein C, Protein S and heparan sulphate?
Proteins C and S are directly fibrinolytic and heparan sulphate acts by promoting fibrinolysis via antithrombin III