Principles of Haemodynamics Flashcards
what is haemodynamics?
the relationship between blood flow, blood pressure and resistance to flow (flow of blood through the heart and vessels)
name 6 key factors involved in haemodynamics?
- Force (cardiac contraction)
- Work (isovolumetric contraction-when pressure gets to a certain level ejection occurs, the longer this period, the stronger the contraction)
- Pressure (the difference in pressure from the aorta to veins helps blood flow)
- Compliance (arterial stretch)
- Resistance (in arterioles)
- Flow velocity (slowing down blood flow in capillaries, increasing efficiency for gas exchange)
is the CVS is a closed or open system?
The CVS is a closed system
where is the majority of blood located?
Majority of blood is in the venous system
what is the venous system?
Low pressure reservoir system which expands a lot
what can the reservoir of venous blood be used for?
The reservoir of venous blood can be used to increase CO by increasing he force of contraction (starlings law). This happens as when more blood is needed, veins can contract to give more blood to the heart.
why do we constrict/dilate arteries?
To send blood to different places
what is darcy’s law, and the equation involved with it?
The role of pressure in energy flow. The flow in a vessel is equal to the difference in pressure across vessel divided by resistance of flow
Q=(P1-P2)/R
Q= flow
P1-P2= pressure difference. In this case, it is Pa-CVP (arterial pressure-central venous pressure)
R= resistance to flow. In this case it’s TPR (total peripheral resistance)
what is Bernoulli’s Law?
As the speed of a moving fluid increases, the pressure within the fluid decreases.
There’s more than just pressure controlling blood flow:
The role of pressure, kinetic and potential energies in flow
Blood is moving so means in terms of energy?
Blood is moving and so has kinetic energy and gravity pulling it so also potential energy
Blood having kinetic energy means what?
Kinetic energy means blood can travel against the concentration gradient
what is the definition of blood flow?
volume of blood flowing in a given time (ml/min, l/min)
what is the definition of perfusion?
blood flow per given mass of tissue (ml/min/g). Takes into account mass of tissue.
what is the definition of velocity of blood flow?
blood flow (cm/s) affected by the cross-sectional area through which the blood flows, so flow may remain the same but velocity changes if there has been a change in cross sectional area
what is flow determined by?
Flow is determined by arterial blood pressure and resistance.
what is the relationship between volume flow, velocity and area
Volume flow (Q)= Velocity (V) x Area (A)
Is the velocity of blood flow in the aorta high or low?
The velocity of blood flow in the aorta is high
When the blood reaches the arteries what happens to the speed?
Speed starts to increase at arteries
What slows the velocity of blood?
The branching of arteries into capillaries slows velocity
Describe the capillaries:
- 1 cell thick
- very narrow
- in total, they have a large cross-sectional area
what is the relationship between cross-sectional area and flow?
The greater the cross-sectional area, the slower the flow
So, where is flow slowest?
flow is slowest in the capillaries
veins coming together increases what?
veins coming together increases the velocity
name the 3 patterns of blood flow?
laminar, turbulent and bolus
laminar flow is present in which vessels?
most arteries, arterioles, venues and veins
describe laminar flow:
-smooth, layers
with laminar flow, what is the velocity like at the walls compared to the centre and why is this?
- Zero velocity at walls due to friction and molecular interactions, as near the walls of the vessel there is some friction between water molecules in the blood and the walls of the vessel, which slows down the blood
- Maximum velocity is at centre
(laminar flow) having maximum velocity at the centre means what?
- Moves RBCs towards centre
- speeds up blood flow through narrow vessels
laminar flow can be disrupted to become what?
turbulent flow
when does turbulent flow occur (examples)?
- Ventricles (mixing)
- aorta (peak flow)
- atheroma (bruits- abnormal sound generated by turbulent flow of blood)
- with high bp
- with obstructions
why does turbulent flow happen?
Turbulent flow happens when blood flows too quickly above a certain speed, no longer laminar