Theme 3: Lecture 1 - Introduction to Circulation Flashcards
Perfusion
The flow of fluid through a tissue
What does flow require?
A pressure differnce
Hypotension
Low pressure - can lead to syncope or shock
Hypertension
High pressure - can lead to vessel damage, heart damage and many other pathologies
What are the functions of circulation?
- To carry oxygen, glucose and nutrients to the cells
- To remove waste such as carbon dioxide and heat
- Homeostasis of the extracellular fluid (via the kidneys)
- Distribution of hormones
- Temperature regulation
- Defence against infections
What are pressure and flow determined by?
The heart, blood volume and vessels
Blood pressure equation
Blood pressure = cardiac output (flow) x peripheral resistance
Peripheral resistance
The total resistance of all the blood vessels in the systemic circulation
Korotkoff sounds
What you listen for when taking blood pressure
sphygmomanometer
An instrument for measuring blood pressure, typically consisting of an inflatable rubber cuff which is applied to the arm and connected to a column of mercury next to a graduated scale, enabling the determination of systolic and diastolic blood pressure by increasing and gradually releasing the pressure in the cuff.
Functions of aorta
Stretch and recoil, stores energy
Function of arteries
Distribute, volume adjust
Function of arterioles
regulate caps, resistance, set BP and TPR
Function of capillaries
Exchange (nutrients, gas, fluid)
Function of venules
Collect blood, some exchange
Function of veins
Reservoir for blood, muscle pump
Structure of the right atrium
- Thin walled
- Crescent X-section
Structure of left atrium
- Thick walled
- Circular X-section
Features of pulmonary circulation
- Lungs only
- Low pressure
- High flow
- Low resistance
Features of systemic circulation
- Multiple organs
- High pressure
- Variable flow
- Variable resistance
Pulmonary artery blood pressure
24/12 mmHg
Right atrium blood pressure
4 mmHg
Right ventricle blood pressure
24/4 mmHg
Aorta blood pressure
130/70 mmHg
Left atrium blood pressure
7 mmHg
Left ventricle blood pressure
130/7 mmHg`
Systole
When ventricles contract. Blood is ejected
Diastole
When ventricles relax. Blood can fill ventricle
Apex beat
At systole, apex of heart moves forward and strikes the chest wall
Valves
Flaps of tissue inside a blood compartment that guarantee one way flow of blood
How many leaflets do heart valves have?
3, apart from the mitral (bicuspid) valve that has 2
Mitral valve
AKA the bicuspid valve, between the left atrium and ventricle
Chordae tendinae
Stringlike processes in the heart that attach the margins of the mitral and tricuspid valve leaflets to the papillary muscles