5 Blood Vessels and Blood Flow Flashcards Preview

LSS Cardiovascular System > 5 Blood Vessels and Blood Flow > Flashcards

Flashcards in 5 Blood Vessels and Blood Flow Deck (53)
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1
Q

Q: When the blood first the leaves the heart in systemic circulation, what carries it? They act as? Then the blood moves into? (2)

A

A: large, thick-walled, elastic arteries which act as dampening vessels

smaller arteries and arterioles

2
Q

Q: What do arterioles and arteries contain? regulates? produces?

A

A: extensive smooth muscle in their walls which regulates their diameter and produces a resistance to blood flow

3
Q

Q: Where does a lot of the pressure drop in arteries take place? (2)

A

A: small arteries and arterioles

4
Q

Q: What’s the role of veins in systemic circulation? Why is this considered its role? What properties allow them to do this? (2)

A

A: veins are very stretchy and highly compliant so they act as a reservoir for blood volume

Much of the blood at any one point rests in the veins and venules hence they’re considered resevoirs

5
Q

Q: What makes up the largest cross sectional area in the CVS? because?

A

A: capillaries

it has an exchange function

6
Q

Q: What happens as a result of shifting the blood from the reservoir to the heart? (2) When does this occur? how?

A

A: produce more venous return and more cardiac output

if you need to exercise you get venoconstriction meaning that you decrease the amount of stored blood and move more blood back to the heart

7
Q

Q: How is the fluid circuit of systemic circulation similar to an electric circuit? Laws? (2)

A

A: electrical circuit (Ohm’s law)
V= I x R

fluid circuit (Darcy's law)
/\P = Q x R

(pressure difference= flow/CO x total peripheral resistance resistance)

8
Q

Q: What can pressure difference be estimated as in /\P=QxR?

A

A: mean arterial blood pressure

9
Q

Q: What is R in /\P=QxR? Considered? why? (3)

A

A: the resistance of all the vessels - also called peripheral vascular resistance

this is an approximation because it assumes a steady flow and assumed that the vessels are rigid and that right atrial pressure is negligible

10
Q

Q: Physiologically how is the regulation of blood flow achieved? (2) Relies on? How can blood be directed to specific vascular beds? (2)

A

A: variation in resistance while blood pressure remains relatively constant (relies on mechanisms to detect blood pressure and feedback to keep it constant)

specific contraction and relaxation of the blood vessels that serve the particular vascular bed

11
Q

Q: How does pressure change across circulation? due to? mostly? (2) On the right side?

A

A: Pressure falls across the circuit due to viscous (frictional) pressure losses

Small arteries and arterioles present most resistance to flow

pulmonary artery presents a resistance to flow as well

12
Q

Q: What 3 variables does resistance to blood flow depend on? What is the main determinant of resistance and why?

A

A: 1. fluid viscosity (eta) = not fixed but in most physiological conditions is constant

  1. length of tubule (L) = fixed and remains constant
  2. inner radius of tube (r) = variable **
13
Q

Q: What does the power function mean in terms of resistance? Example?

A

A: relatively small change in radius produces a large change in blood flow

Halving the radius would decrease blood flow 16 times

14
Q

Q: When exercising, how much can we boost our CO by? What else can we do in terms of direction of blood flow? (2)

A

A: up to 25L/min

changing the radius of various vessels we can increase the blood flow to the working skeletal muscle - by constricting some vessels and dilating others to direct the blood to the place that needs it most

15
Q

Q: What sort of flow occurs in vessels? Sounds?

A

A: Blood generally flows in stream lines which don’t tend to interfere with one another - it is laminated flow and hence laminar flow

You CAN NOT HEAR laminar flow

16
Q

Q: How do you usually measure blood pressure with an inflation cuff? (4) continuation of deflation?

A

A: pump the cuff up on upper arm to obstruct blood flow = pressure exceeds arterial pressure

place stethoscope distal to the cuff (no sounds as blood flow is occluded)

let the cuff down -> eventually get to a point where the pressure in the cuff is just overcome by the pressure in the artery

blood starts to squirt through the occlusion and sets up turbulent flow - you hear a LIGHT TAPPING SOUND

(continue to reduce the pressure in the cuff, reach a point where you have no occlusion in the artery and so blood will start to flow in a laminar fashion = no sound)

17
Q

Q: What characterises turbulent blood flow? Sounds? What can turbulent flow change? it can bring about?

A

A: whirlpool like regions and the velocity of the fluid is not constant

can hear (sounds of korotkoff) = soft tapping sound

the shear stress on the vessels
-pathophysiological changes

18
Q

Q: Where is blood flow quickest in a vessel? slowest? Due to? Velocity increases as…?

A

A: quickest in the middle and slowest on the sides

This is because there are adhesive forces which attach the blood to the vessel walls

distance from wall increases

19
Q

Q: What is shear rate?

A

A: velocity gradient that is established - the difference between the highest velocity blood in the middle of the lumen and the lowest velocity blood that adheres to the blood vessel walls

20
Q

Q: How do you get shear stress? What does it do? (3) result? (2)

A

A: shear rate is MULTIPLIED by viscosity

disturbs endothelial function which is important for laminar flow and the production of various transmitter substances which give rise to vessel dilation and constriction

21
Q

Q: Where is high shear stress found? promotes? result?

Where is low shear stress found? stimulates? cell behaviour? bearing on? (4)

Which is normal?

A

A: as found in laminar flow: promotes endothelial cell survival so the endothelial cells line up and produce substances normally**

(turbulent flow), ENDOTHELIAL PROLIFERATION is stimulated (cells are all mixed up and don’t behave in a normal way and don’t produce their substances normally)

has a bearing on vasoconstriction, coagulation, platelet aggregation and atheroma formation

22
Q

Q: When measuring blood pressure with an inflating cuff, what does the appearance of sound represent? disappearance?

A

A: Sounds APPEARS = Systolic Blood Pressure

Sound DISAPPEARS = Diastolic Blood Pressure

23
Q

Q: What is the difference between systolic and diastolic blood pressure?

A

A: pulse pressure

24
Q

Q: How do you calculate mean blood pressure? Expectation?

A

A: Diastolic + 1/3 of pulse pressure (this is lower than you’d expect)

25
Q

Q: How do ventricular and aortic pressure differ once aortic valves close? Why?

A

A: Once the aortic valve closes, ventricular pressure falls rapidly but aortic pressure only falls slowly in diastole

This is explained by the elasticity of the aorta which buffers changes in pressure and so it doesn’t drop to zero like the ventricular pressure - the pressure is maintained by the elasticity of the vessel

26
Q

Q: How does the elasticity of the aorta change? What is it related to?

A

A: this elasticity changes through life

compliance

27
Q

Q: What is the Dichrotic Notch? What causes it?

A

A: second small bump on aortic pressure line (following large one)

When the aortic valve closes, the ejection of blood stops but there is a recoil because the arteries and the aorta are very elastic which produces the dichrotic notch

28
Q

Q: What is the equation for resistance in a tube?

A

A: R= 8L(eta)
———–
pi r^4

pi x radius^4

29
Q

Q: How does pressure change downstream of the aorta? showing? (2)

A

A: falls slowly downstream of the aorta hence showing that the elasticity allows it to act as a buffer

30
Q

Q: What is the damping effect sometimes called?

A

A: WINDKESSEL effect

31
Q

Q: What can cause arterial compliance to decrease? How can this affect pulse pressure and in what way?

A

A: age

the damping effect of the Windkessel is reduced and the PULSE PRESSURE WILL INCREASE

32
Q

Q: What is the pressure inside the vessel called? What does it determine? What does pressure inside the vessel cause?

A

A: transmural pressure
-distension of the vessel wall

tension force (T) in the wall

33
Q

Q: What is the relationship between pressure inside the vessel wall and wall tension determined by? Equation?

A

A: Laplace’s law

T=P x r

34
Q

Q: What does circumferential stress depend on? What is the equation for circumferential stress? Including Laplace’s law?

A

A: vessel wall thickness

sigma = T
———-
h (vessel wall thickness)
including Laplace’s law

= P x r
——-
h

35
Q

Q: What is the relationship between transmural pressure and vessel volume called? What is it dependent on?

A

A: COMPLIANCE

vessel elasticity

36
Q

Q: Summarise Laplace’s law. Apart from aneurysms, where else does it apply?

A

A: The larger the vessel radius, the greater the wall tension required to withstand a given internal fluid pressure

formation of diverticuli (small bulges) in the gut wall

37
Q

Q: What can occur if vessel walls weaken (over a prolonged period)? They can form as a result of?

A

A: causing a balloon like distension

Aneurysms form as a result of Laplace’s law

38
Q

Q: What can happen if an aneurysm forms in a blood vessel? But if the muscle fibre is weakened and the compliance isn’t great? result?

A

A: for the same internal pressure, the inward force exerted by the muscular wall must also increase

the force needed to withstand the internal pressure cannot be produced and so the aneurysm will continue to expand

39
Q

Q: Draw compliance curves comparing arteries and veins. How does venous compliance compare to arterial at low pressures?

A

A: pressure= X and volume= Y

vein = r shape
artery= shallow

venous compliance= 10 to 20 times greater

40
Q

Q: How can venous pressure affect veins?

A

A: Relatively small changes in venous pressure distends veins and increases the volume of blood stored in them

41
Q

Q: For the same pressure, what holds more blood; veins or arteries?

A

A: veins hold larger volume of blood

42
Q

Q: Draw various compliance curves for veins showing how smooth muscle contraction affects it. (2) What causes the change in smooth muscle contraction? What does this allow?

A

A: pressure= X and volume= Y

r shape getting shallower

top to bottom= increasing smooth muscle contraction

when you change the nervous supply to the smooth muscle causing contraction, you decrease the venous volume and increase venous pressure

allows you to change the volume of blood in the reservoir

43
Q

Q: What happens when you stand up quickly? due to? What does this cause? can result in? What is this called?

A

A: gravity makes the blood pool in the legs which is due to the venous volume/capacitance

When it pools in the legs, this reduces venous return to the heart which means that cardiac output falls and you get less blood going to the brain

called postural/transient hypotension

44
Q

Q: Describe the mechanism to compensate for postural hypotension.

A

A: get venous constriction which means that more blood is returned to the heart and cardiac output is increased

45
Q

Q: Draw a graph showing how mean transmural pressure changes across circulation system (for both ankle and upper arm= heart level).

At any particular location, what is maintained? so?

A

A: X= large arteries, microcirculation, veins

-------   
          \
            -------------
but more rounded  
-ankle above upper arm

-the gradient of pressure from large artery to capillary is MAINTAINED so flow always occurs the normal way

46
Q

Q: What is the major effect of gravity on in the circulation system? (2)

A

A: distensible veins in the leg and the volume of blood contained in them

47
Q

Q: What does standing cause the activation of (to prevent fainting)? how does this affect veins? arteries? to? (2)

What also happens when we stand that prevents fainting? (2) allows?

A

A: Standing causes activation of the sympathetic nervous system -> stiffens and constricts veins + arteries are constricted to increase total peripheral resistance and maintain blood pressure

there may be a slight increase in heart rate and an increase in the force of contraction which allows more blood to return to the brain

48
Q

Q: What can the failure of the mechanisms that prevent fainting when standing lead to? (2)

A

A: fainting (syncope)

hypovolaemia - you may become thirsty and your blood volume may drop a bit

49
Q

Q: What is the effect of the skeletal pump? Assists? (2)

A

A: the contraction of the muscle squeezes blood back through the veins to the heart

This assists the movement of blood back to the heart and decreases venous capacitance

50
Q

Q: Describe the respiratory pump. What does it allow? (2)

A

A: as we breathe in, we expand our chest and our intrathoracic pressure decreases

allows blood to come back to the right atrium and increase venous return

51
Q

Q: What two simple mechanisms allow us to be able to stand up for long periods of time without fainting?

A

A: skeletal pump and respiratory pump

52
Q

Q: What happens if you have incompetent valves in terms of standing up? Where is it often seen? (2)

A

A: could lead to VARICOSE VEINS = large swollen veins

in older people who have more incompetent valves

if you have been standing up for a long period of time

53
Q

Q: What can happen after prolonged standing? (2)

A

A: have prolonged elevation of venous pressure = you get oedema in your feet