Blood Vessels and Circulation

Chapter 13 Pgs 389-403

Overview
Introduction The Anatomy of Blood Vessels
Structure of vessel walls Arteries Capillaries Veins

Cardiovascular Regulation
The autoregulation of blood flow The neural control of blood pressure and flow Hormones and cardiovascular regulation

Cardiovascular Physiology
Pressure Resistance Circulatory pressure

Capillary Bed

Circulatory Physiology
2 factors affect blood flow through capillaries:
Pressure Resistance
Vascular resistance Viscosity Turbulence

Pressure
Hydrostatic pressure Circulatory pressure
Overall pressure difference between base of aorta and entrance to RA
Avg is 100 mm Hg
Needed to force blood along

Divided into 3 components

Arterial pressure = blood pressure Capillary pressure = pressure in caps Venous pressure = pressure in veins

Resistance
For blood to flow:
Circulatory pressure must be great enough to overcome total peripheral resistance
But pressure low in veins so focus on arterial system (called peripheral resistance)

Neural and hormonal controls Sources of peripheral resistance:

Vascular resistance Viscosity Turbulence

Vascular Resistance
Resistance of the blood vessels Most important factor is friction between the blood and the vessel walls
Friction depends on:
Length Diameter

Viscosity
Resistance to flow caused by interactions among molecules and suspended materials in a liquid Viscosity of blood 5xs that of water Remains constant

Turbulence
Blood flow smooth
Slowest flow near the walls; fastest at the center

High flow rates, irregular surface, sudden changes in vessel diameter = turbulent flow (swirls and eddies created) Slows the flow, increases resistance

Circulatory Pressure
Where would you expect to find pressure the:
Highest? Lowest?

Arterial blood pressure

Systolic pressure Diastolic pressure Pulse pressure

Capillary Pressures
Unlike other arteries because capillary walls permeable
Most reabsorbed Some water and solutes enter lymphatic vessels

This continuous movement plays important role in maintaining homeostasis

Capillary Exchange
4 important functions
Maintain constant communication between plasma and ISF Speeds the distribution of nutrients, hormones, and dissolved gases throughout tissues Assists the movement of insoluble lipids and tissue proteins that are impermeable Flushes bacterial toxins and other chemical stimuli to lymphoid tissue and organs that provide immunity from disease

Venous Pressure
Veins become larger
Drops resistance, increases flow rate

2 factors overcome gravity

Muscular compression Respiratory pump

Cardiovascular Regulation
Tissue perfusiontissue blood flow Homeostatic mechanisms regulate cardiovascular activity to ensure tissue perfusion meets demand for oxygen and nutrients 3 variable factors that influence tissue perfusion:
Cardiac output Peripheral resistance Blood pressure

Cardiovascular Regulation
Cells become active = increased circulation to region Goal of cardiovascular regulation is to ensure that these blood flow changes occur:
At an appropriate time In the right area Without drastically altering blood pressure and blood flow to vital organs

Factors involved in regulation of cardiovascular function include:

Local factors Neural mechanisms Endocrine factors

Autoregulation of Blood Flow

Precapillary sphincter
Respond automatically to alterations in local environment
Increased or decreased levels of oxygen and/or carbon dioxide

Dilation caused by vasodilators Contraction caused by vasoconstrictors

Neural Control of Blood Pressure (BP) and Blood Flow (BF)

Cardiovascular (CV) centers in medulla responsible
Includes a cardioaccelerator center and cardioinhibitory center

Vasomotor center (part of CV)

Primarily controls diameters of arterioles Inhibition of center leads to vasodilation
Will this increase or decrease peripheral resistance?

Stimulation of center leads to vasoconstriction

CV centers detect changes in tissue by monitoring:

Arterial blood (esp bp) pH Dissolved gas concentrations

Baroreceptor Reflexes
Monitor degree of stretch in walls of expandable organs Located in:
Carotid sinuses Aortic sinuses Wall of RA

Initiate baroreceptor reflexes

Autonomic reflexes that adjust CO and peripheral resistance to maintain normal arterial pressures

Chemoreceptor Reflexes
Respond to changes in carbon dioxide levels, oxygen levels, or pH in blood and CSF Found in:
Carotid bodies Aortic bodies Medulla (CSF)

Hormones and Cardiovascular Regulation

Provides both short term and long term regulation E and NE immediately stimulate CO and peripheral vasoconstriction ADH, angiotensin II, EPO, and ANP
Affect long term regulation of blood volume