Physiology - Circulation Flashcards
What are the basic factors that determine the rate of flow of blood through a vessel
Hagen-Poiseuille formula:
Pressure difference
Diameter
Length
Viscosity
What factors cause turbulent flow in a blood vessel
-probability of turbulent flow is determined by Reynold’s number:
Re = fluid density x diameter x velocity / viscosity
- the higher the value of Reynold’s number, the higher the chance of turbulence
- turbulence is usually present at branching points of arteries and constriction points, reduced viscosity
Why is blood flow slower in capillaries
- velocity relates to total cross-sectional area:
velocity = flow / cross sectional area
- capillary total cross-sectional area is 1000x that of the aorta, thus low velocity but same flow
What is the relationship between pressure and wall tension in blood vessels of different size
Law of Laplace: Tension = Pressure x Radius / 2x wall thickness
The smaller the radius the lower the tension and thus less likely to rupture
What is the relationship between pressure and wall tension in the heart
- increased ventricular volume means increased radius and thus increased tension and increased work required to overcome
- ventricular dilation means more tension required to generate the same pressure = more work
Draw a diagram of the changes in systolic and diastolic pressure as blood flows through the systemic circulation
- pressure falls very slightly in large and medium sized arteries because resistance to flow is small
- pressure falls rapidly in small arteries and arterioles, which are the main sites of vascular resistance
How does the total cross-sectional area of a vessel change through the systemic circulation
capillaries have the largest cross sectional area
Describe the central neural control affecting arteriolar tone.
- cardiovascular system is under central neural control coming from parts of the brainstem, forebrain and insular cortex
- the vasomotor center is located in the rostral ventrolateral medulla, major source of excitatory input to the sympathetic nerves
- influenced by:
direct stimulation = CO2, hypoxia
excitatory inputs = chemoreceptors (peripheral and central, cause vasoconstriction and influence respiration)
inhibitor inputs = baroreceptors (stimulation inhibits sympathetic discharge), pain, lung inflation
Describe the bainbridge (atrial stretch) reflex
A protective mechanism that adjusts heart rate in response to changes in blood volume, helping to maintain cardiovascular stability and optimize cardiac performance.
- increase in heart rate due to an increase in central venous pressure
- increase in volume is detected by stretch receptors in both sides of atria
- impulse travels to the CNS, modulating sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways to the SA node, causing increased HR
What is the set point
neutral MAP for the vasomotor center at around 100mmHg
Describe the receptors that respond to a fall in blood pressure
baroreceptors: in carotid sinus, aortic arch, wall of atria, SVC, IVC, pulmonary veins
- respond to stretch in adventitia, with distension causing inhibition of sympathetic discharge
chemoreceptors:
- peripheral = in carotid body and aortic body, responds to low O2, high CO2 by increasing respiration and vasoconstriction
- central = in medulla, responds to high CO2 by stimulating vasomotor areas in medulla, leading to vasoconstriction
What are baroreceptors, where are they located and what is their mechanism of action
Stretch receptors present in the adventitia of heart and blood vessels that respond to pressure changes
location: carotid sinus, aortic arch, walls of right and left atria, entrance of SVC and IVC, pulmonary veins
mechanism: stimulation by distension travels down CN IX afferents (carotid sinus) to medulla (NTS -> CVLM -> RVLM), ultimately leads to inhibition of tonic sympathetic discharge, causing vasodilation, reduced HR/CO/BP
What is the baroreceptor mechanism in acute blood loss (hypotension)
less stretching of baroreceptors leads to reduced discharge to the medulla and an overall increase in sympathetic discharge
What is the effect of chronic hypertension on the activity of arterial baroreceptors
they reset to maintain normal basal activity at elevated blood pressures (reversible)
Discuss local factors that affect arteriolar tone (what is autoregulation, what local factors cause vasodilation/vasoconstriction)
1) autoregulation: capacity of tissues to regulate their own blood flow
-maintain constant blood flow by compensating pressure changes with peripheral resistance
-myogenic theory: intrinsic contractile response to SM stretch
-metobolic theory: production of vasoactive substances by active tissue
vasodilation in response to low O2, high CO2, high osmolality, high temperature, low pH, high lactate, high K+, histamine
vasoconstriction in response to trauma, low temperature, serotonin
2) substances secreted by endothelium
- prostacyclin = promotes vasodilation
- nitric oxide = causes vasodilation
- endothelin = causes vasoconstriction
Discuss the hormones that influence arteriolar tone
- kinins = bradykinin and kallidin, cause relaxation of vascular SMC
- natriuretics = ANP, BNP, CNP, work by antogonising vasoconstrictors
- adrenaline = vasodilation of skeletal muscle via beta-2
- noradrenaline = vasoconstriction via alpha-1
- vasopressin = potent arteriolar vasoconstrictor
- angiotensin II = general arteriolar vasoconstrictor
- serotonin = local vasoconstriction post injury
- adenosine = vasodilatory on cardiac muscle (not skeletal muscle)
What effects do endothelins have on the cardiovascular system
vasoconstriction
positive inotrope
positive chronotrope
causes renin release
decreases GFR and renal blood flow
Describe the factors that control blood flow to the myocardium
1) Local factors
- vasodilation = low O2, high CO2, high temperature, low pH, high K+, adenosine
2) Innervation of coronary arterioles
- alpha adrenergic receptors = vasoconstriction
- beta adrenergic receptors = vasodilation
3) Pressure differences: flow of blood from high pressure to low pressure
- flow better during diastole (because heart compresses coronary vessels when it contracts)
4) Viscosity of blood
What happens to cardiac output during exercise
increased cardiac output:
increased HR, increased venous return, increased myocardial contractility
Describe the factors controlling blood flow through skeletal muscle during exercise
- local factors: increased blood flow by vasodilation due to low O2, high CO2, high lactate, high K+, low pH, high temperature
- other factors: sympathetic vasoconstriction, circulating adrenaline
What other circulatory changes occur in the body during exercise
- increased cardiac output due to sympathetic discharge
- constriction of peripheral arterioles not in skeletal muscle secondary to sympathetic discharge (coronary and cerebral spared)
- contraction of capacitance vessels (veins) secondary to sympathetic discharge leading to increased venous return