Week 2 Flashcards
Cardiovascular System
What is thought to play a role in the development of essential hypertension?
systemic inflammation and oxidative stress
Secondary hypertension accounts for what percent of cases with an identifiable etiology?
5-10%
At what age does a blood pressure of 120/80 have a 90% lifetime risk of developing hypertension?
55
What percent of patients with hypertension will require 2 or more medications to control their blood pressure?
50-65%
What are the physiologic factors that affect blood pressure?
- hydration status
- sodium and potassium intake
- sympathetic tone and arterial elasticity
- cardiac contractility
- renal function and hormonal factors
- drugs
What are the 3 components that determine blood pressure?
- mean arterial pressure
- cardiac output
- peripheral resistance
What is the equation for mean arterial pressure?
MAP = SBP + 2(DBP)/3
MAP = Cardiac output x peripheral vascular resistance
cardiac output = the heart rate x stroke volume ejected with each heartbeat
What are the factors that most directly affect blood pressure?
there are 3
cardiac output, vascular resistance, and plasma volume
increased volume = increased pressure
What is the goal of the cardiovascular system?
To maintain a constant flow of blood to vital organs
pressure and volume are constantly adjusted to maintain homeostasis
What is the equation for cardiac output?
CO = Heart Rate x Stroke Volume
What type of fibers innervate the heart?
sympathetic: Beta-1 adrenergic fibers
SA node: increases heart rate; ventricles increase force of contraction
What nerve innervates the SA node via parasympathetic input?
Vagus nerve
works to modulate the sympathetic effects on heart rate
Where is calcium stored in cardiac muscle cells?
In the sarcoplasmic reticulum
releasing calcium leads directly to contraction
What changes lead to increased peripheral resistance?
an increase in peripheral resistance leads to increased blood pressure
- changes in arterial tone secondary to increased alpha-adrenergic synpathetic stimulation
- changes in vessel wall eslasticity produced by vascular smooth muscle contraction
blood viscosity, vessel length and vessel radius determine resistance
How does Poiseulle’s equation explain the relationship between vessel resistance, vessel length and vessel radius?
vessel resistance is directly proportional to the length of the vessel and the viscosity of the blood and inversely proportional to the vessel radius
What is blood viscosity dependent on?
hematocrit (the volume of RBC’s in the blood)
remember: blood viscosity is directly proportional to vascular resistance
How does vessel length contribute to vascular resistance?
blood passing through a longer vessel will encounter more friction
vessel length is directly proportional to vascular resistance
How is vessel radius related to peripheral resistance?
Resistance increases when vessels constrict
inversely proportional to vascular resistance
How does sodium regulate plasma volume?
in euvolemic and normotensive indivisuals, the kidneys clear excess sodium
people with hypertension are unable to fully clear sodium- as intake increases, higher blood pressure results; as intake decreases, blood pressure decreases
When is RAAS activated?
low blood volume or low sodium concentration
What do the juxtaglomerular cells secrete to activate RAAS?
renin
What does renin do?
cleaves angiotensinogen to produce angiotensin I, which is converted to angiotensin II by the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)
angiotensin II is a potent vasoconstrictor
What categories of pharmaceutical agents act on the RAAS?
- mineralcorticoid receptor blockers
- ACE inhibitors
- Renin inhibitors
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers
How does atherosclerosis develop?
The mechanical shear forces from chronically elevated blood pressure cause stress on the arterial intia leading to damage
How does atherosclerosis lead to strokes and retinal infarctions?
Atherosclerosis casue cartoid plaques to occlude or embolize
How does cardiac ischemia develop?
Arterial plaque development leads to myocardial infarction when it occurs in the coronary arteries