Physiology of Cardiorespiratory System Flashcards
What should the cardiorespiratory system be doing during exercise? (2 things)
- Providing oxygen to be transported through blood to active cells so that carbohydrates and fatty acids can be converted into ATP for muscular contractions.
- Removing waste materials such as carbon dioxide and lactate as well as heat produced by metabolic procedures.
What are the 3 basic procedures that must interact for an adequate amount of blood and nutrients to be transported to the tissues?
- The delivery of oxygen to the blood - a function of the pulmonary ventilation that is paired with oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
- The delivery of oxygen to the active tissues/muscles - a function of cardiac output.
- The extraction of oxygen from the blood to form ATP - a function of localizing the delivery of the cardiac output to the active muscles and oxidative enzymes (aka less transportation) within the active muscles.
How is the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood determined?
It is determined by:
- the ability to adequately ventilate the alveoli in the lungs
- the hemoglobin concentration of the blood
What is pulmonary ventilation a function of?
Tidal volume and an increase in breathing rate.
Why is it important to maintain tidal volume during exercise?
It is important so that the gas concentrations can be properly exchanged.
What happens if there is too little oxygen and too much carbon dioxide during exercise?
This is due to unbalanced tidal volume and results in reduced movement of gases in desired directions (pulmonary capilleries to alveoli.)
What is asthma?
Constriction of breathing passages.
What is emphysema?
Degradation of alveoli.
Why is exercise limited for people that suffer from asthma or emphysema?
Due to decrease movement of air through their lungs.
As less oxygen is entering their lungs, their alveoli cannot properly circulate blood to oxygenate it and so any blood leaving the lungs is not oxygenized and therefore exercise is limited,
What is hemoglobin?
A protein in the red blood cells that specifically bonds with oxygen molecules.
What does hemoglobin do in warmer/acidic/lower O2 environments?
It releases oxygen to the tissues instead of binding it to hemoglobin.
What is cardiac output?
The heart rate (BPM) plus stoke volume (quantity of blood pumped per HB.)
What are the average cardiac output numbers (litres) per minute?
At rest = 5L roughly per minute.
During exercise = 20-25L or 30-40L if well trained
In what way will HR increase during exercise?
HR will increase in a linear fashion up to max.
In what was will stroke volume increase during exercise?
SV will increase up to 40/50% of max before it plateaus.
