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Functional Organization of Cardiovascular System
Functional Organization of Cardiovascular System
Learning Objectives:
Describe the functional organization of cardiovascular system Describe the main function arteries, capillaries and veins of
Describe the flow of blood through the chambers of the heart and through the systemic and pulmonary circulations.
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To Understand How the Heart Perform its function as a Pump You should Know :Properties of cardiac muscle
Excitability It is the ability of cardiac muscle to respond to appropriate stimulus by generating an action potential followed by contraction Rhythmicity It is the ability of the cardiac muscle to initiate its beats regularly and continuously. Cardiac rhythmicity is myogenic in origin Conductivity It is the ability to transmit the excitation wave (cardiac impulses) originated in the SA node to all parts of the heart Cardiac Contractility
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The arteries
Are large-diameter vessels with thick walls composed mainly of circular smooth muscles with a good proportion of elastic tissue (i.e. highly elastic). This permits stretching during systole and recoil during diastole and preventing systolic blood pressure from rising too much (as the elastic elements will be stretched). Also it prevents diastolic pressure from decreasing too much (as the elastic elements recoil during diastole). Called Windkessel vessels Function as pressure reservoir help propel blood forward while ventricles relax and Conduct blood to medium sized arteries
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The arterioles
From small arteries the blood flows into the arterioles whose walls contain a thick layer of smooth muscles and much less elastic tissue than arteries. This permits control of the diameter of the arterioles and therefore, the peripheral resistance to blood flow. For this reason the arterioles have been called the resistance vessels. Sympathetic tone controls this peripheral resistance as increased tone causes arteriolar constriction and rise the arterial blood pressure Local chemical mediators can alter diameter and thus blood flow
Remember:
The capillaries
Blood flows from the arteriole to the capillaries, which have thin walls, made of one layer of flat endothelial cells leaving pores in between and based on a basement membrane. They are very permeable ,this favors the exchange of nutrients, water , O2 and CO2 to take place between the interstitial fluid and blood therefore the capillaries are called exchange vessels Have highly branched network creating a huge surface area . They have the largest total cross sectional and surface area. 3 types of capillaries: o Continuous (brain) o Fenestrated (Intestinal , Renal) o Discontinuous ( Liver, Spleen)
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Normally, the fluid leaving the capillaries is more than that returning to them.
Pulmonary circulation
Starts at right ventricle Ends at left atrium Receives blood from right side of heart Carries blood between heart and lungs Blood perfusing the lungs is partially deoxygenated
Systemic circulation
Starts at left ventricle
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Vascular resistance: resistance occurs as a result of friction between the flowing blood and the intravascular endothelium all along the inside of the vessel.
P F = --------R Contraction of ventricles generates blood pressure Systolic BP : highest pressure attained in arteries during systole Diastolic BP : lowest arterial pressure during diastole Blood pressure also depends on total volume of blood
Sources:
Guyton, Arthur C. Textbook of medical physiology / Arthur C. Guyton, John E. Hall.11th ed.,
Ganong's Review of Medical Physiology/Kim E. Barrett, Susan M. barman, Scott Boitano and Heddwen L.Brooks,23rd ed.,