Cardiovascular Physiology
Cardiovascular Physiology
Cardiovascular Physiology
Cardiovascular centers :
a-Vasomotor center : these neurons mediate sympathetic discharge to blood vessels
and the heart. The cell bodies of these neurons are located in the ventrolateral nucleus
of the medulla oblongata and their axons descend in the lateral column of the spinal
cord. Stimulation of this center increases blood pressure by increasing HR and Sv and
by VC of blood vessels.
b- Cardioinhibitory center : It lies in the upper medial part of the medulla including
parts of dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve, nucleus ambiuua and nucleus of
tractus solitarius. When stimulated, it increases vagal discharge to the heart
decreasing blood pressure and HR.
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c- Medullary sensory area : this area receives input from different parts of the body
and project to vasomotor center and cardioinhibitory center to regulate activities of
these centers together i.e. stimulation of one and inhibition of the other.
b-
TPR : increase in TPR (total peripheral resistance) increases the blood pressure
mainly diastolic blood pressure. The TPR depends on many factors The length
of the blood vessel (L) the viscosity of the blood, and the radius of the blood
vessel (r). The most important factor determining the resistance is the radius of
the blood vessel where TPR is inversely proportional to the r4.
cBlood volume : increase blood volume increases the blood pressure and vise
versa
dElasticity of the blood vessels : The elasticity of the aorta and big vessels
prevents marked increase of pressure during systole and marked drop of
pressure during diastole. Loss of elasticity of the arteries during atherosclerosis
converts elastic vessels into rigid tubes with high systolic and low diastolic
blood pressure and high pulse pressure.
Physiological factors affecting blood pressure :
- Age : the blood pressure increases with advance of age.
- Sex : The pressure is higher in males before menopause.
- After meals the blood pressure increases.
- During stress, exercise and emotions there is also increase in blood
pressure due to sympathetic stimulation.
- The gravity increases blood pressure below the level of the heart and
decreases it above the level of the heart.
- Environmental temperature : the hot weather decreases mainly diastolic
blood pressure due to cutaneous VD. While cold weather increases the
blood pressure due to cutaneous VC.
- Ultrarapid mechanisms :
a- Arterial baroreflex : If arterial blood pressure increases it will stimulate the
baroreceptors in the carotid sinus and aortic arch where these receptors send afferent
impulses in vagus and glossopharyngeal nerves to the cardiovascular centers where
these impulses stimulate the cardioinhibitory center and inhibit the vasomotor center
so the HR, SV and TPR all are decreased and so the blood pressure decreases. The
opposite is true where decrease in blood pressure results in stimulation of vasomotor
center and inhibition of cardioinhibitory center with the end result of increased
arterial blood pressure.
This reflex is characterized by:
- They are very rapid reflexes.
- They prevent fall in the VR, COP and ABP when one sits or stands from the
lying down position.
- they act as buffer nerves because they prevent fluctuation of ABP.
- They respond to rapid and acute changes in ABP. With chronic changes
(gradual changes) in ABP these receptors adapt and reset to the new level of
blood pressure/.
b- Arterial chemoreceptors : These receptors are located in the carotid and
aortic bodies. They are stimulated by changes in arterial blood gases (oxygen , carbon
dioxide and hydrogen). When blood pressure decreases, the oxygen level in blood
perfusing these receptors is decreased and also the carbon dioioxide and hydrogern
level is increased. These changes stimulate the chemoreceptors which in turn
stimulate the cardiovascular center namely the vasomotor center to increase the blood
pressure.