HOMEOSTASIS OF THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

HOMEOSTASIS OF BLOOD PRESSURE

If we are exercising or moving then our muscles need more Oxygen for energy
release to fuel the muscles’ activity. In order for more blood (with Oxygen) to be
transported, then the diameter of the blood vessels will STRETCH so that more blood
may be delivered to the muscles.
When more Oxygen is used for the release of energy in the cells then there is
obviously more Carbon Dioxide produced which is the waste product of energy
release.

What is blood pressure? This is Cardiac Output multiplied by Total Peripheral

Resistance. So it follows that changes in Cardiac Output and Total Peripheral
Resistance will alter Blood Pressure.

Cardiac Output is how much blood the left ventricle pumps out in one minute. We
can calculate it like this:
e.g. 75 (pulse) x 70ml (in one ventricle contraction) = 5.25 L/min

How is the Cardiac Output altered and regulated?

1. The heart beat can be increased by the action of Adrenalin in the blood stream.
2. Nerves from the Sympathetic Nervous System can increase heart rate and stroke
volume (i.e. cardiac output); these nerves are stimulated by the rise in Carbon
Dioxide in the blood stream; this rise is as a result of more Carbon Dioxide being
produced from the increased release of oxygen in the cells. The sequence to
increase Cardiac Output is this:

 Increased CO2 in blood stream

 Recognised by Chemoreceptors on the Carotid Body
 These chemoreceptors send impulses to Cardiac Acceleratory Centre in the
Medulla of the Brain.
 The C.A.C. sends impulses via the Sympathetic Nervous System to the Sino-
Atrial Node in the heart.
 As a result of these impulses the hormone Noradrenaline is released at the Sino-
Atrial Node.
 This hormone increases heart rate and stroke volume which is Cardiac Output.

Nerves from the Parasympathetic Nervous System can decrease cardiac output..
These nerves are stimulated as a result of a fall in Carbon Dioxide when exercise
stops.
The sequence is as follows:
 Decreased CO2 in the blood stream
 Recognised by the Chemoreceptors
 Chemoreceptors send impulses to Cardiac Inhibitory Centre in the Medulla
 The C.I.C. sends impulses via the Parasympathetic Nervous System (the Vagus
Nerve) to the Sino-Atrial Node in the Heart.

HSC/Intranet/441351647.doc/jao
 As a result of these impulses the hormone Aceytlcholine is released at the Sino-
Atrial Node.
 This hormone decreases heart rate and stroke volume which is Cardiac Output.

Total Peripheral Resistance is the amount of friction through blood vessels. The
friction depends on the thickness of the blood (viscosity), the length of the blood
vessel and the diameter of the blood vessel; this alteration, (stretch or constriction)
of the diameter alters blood pressure rapidly.

How is Total Peripheral Resistance Changed and Regulated?

When blood pressure goes above the normal range, again, let us say because of
increased blood flow because of exercise, this is what happens:
 The diameter of the blood vessels constricts.
 This constriction is sensed by special groups of cells called baroreceptors; these
are located mainly in the Aorta and the Carotid Artery.
 a) The baroreceptors stimulate the Cardiac Inhibitory Centre to decrease the
Cardiac Output.
 b) The baroreceptors also stimulate the Vasomotor Centre which sends impulses
to the blood vessels so that they dilate.
 The combination of a) and b) which means the decrease in Cardiac Output and
dilatation of blood vessels leads to the lowering of blood pressure.
 When these actions have lowered the blood pressure back to normal the
impulses which set off that process are no longer there, and so the blood
pressure is left at the normal rate; it does not get lower and lower and lower.

When blood pressure goes below the normal range this is what happens:

 The blood vessels dilate(stretch).

 This stretch is sensed by the baroreceptors.
 a) The baroreceptors stimulates the Cardiac Acceleratory Centre to increase the
Cardiac Output.
 b) The baroreceptors also send impulses via the Sympathetic Nervous System to
the blood vessels so that they constrict.
 The actions of a) and b) result in the raising of the blood pressure back to normal
levels.
 When these actions have raised the blood pressure, the stimuli are no longer
there and so the blood pressure raising switch is turned off; if this did not happen
then our Blood Pressure would just get higher and higher and higher.

Our blood REMINDER: Changes in Cardiac Output and Total Peripheral Resistance
(usually the stretch factor) will alter Blood Pressure.
pressure is monitored minute by minute with the homeostatic systems adjusting our
blood pressure all the time.

HSC/Intranet/441351647.doc/jao
The sequence to increase Cardiac Output is this:

 Increased CO2 in blood stream

 Recognised by Chemoreceptors on the Carotid Body

 These chemoreceptors send impulses to Cardiac

Acceleratory Centre in the Medulla of the Brain.

 The C.A.C. sends impulses via the Sympathetic Nervous

System to the Sino-Atrial Node in the heart.

 As a result of these impulses the hormone Noradrenaline is

released at the Sino-Atrial Node.

 This hormone increases heart rate and stroke volume which

is Cardiac Output.

HSC/Intranet/441351647.doc/jao
To decrease cardiac output.

The sequence is as follows:

 Decreased CO2 in the blood stream

 Recognised by the Chemoreceptors

 Chemoreceptors send impulses to Cardiac Inhibitory Centre

in the Medulla

 The C.I.C. sends impulses via the Parasympathetic Nervous

System (the Vagus Nerve) to the Sino-Atrial Node in the
Heart.

 As a result of these impulses the hormone Aceytlcholine is

released at the Sino-Atrial Node. This hormone decreases
heart rate and stroke volume which is Cardiac Output

HSC/Intranet/441351647.doc/jao
How is Total Peripheral Resistance Changed and Regulated?

When blood pressure goes above the normal range, again, let us say
because of increased blood flow because of exercise, this is what
happens:

 The diameter of the blood vessels constricts.

 This constriction is sensed by special groups of cells called

baroreceptors; these are located mainly in the Aorta and the Carotid
Artery.

 a) The baroreceptors stimulate the Cardiac Inhibitory Centre to

decrease the Cardiac Output.
 b) The baroreceptors also stimulate the Vasomotor Centre which
sends impulses to the blood vessels so that they dilate.

 The combination of a) and b) which means the decrease in Cardiac

Output and dilatation of blood vessels leads to the lowering of blood
pressure.

 When these actions have lowered the blood pressure back to normal
the impulses which set off that process are no longer there, and so the
blood pressure is left at the normal rate; it does not get lower and
lower and lower.

HSC/Intranet/441351647.doc/jao
When blood pressure goes below the normal range this is what
happens:

 The blood vessels dilate (stretch).

 This stretch is sensed by the baroreceptors.

 a) The baroreceptors stimulates the Cardiac Acceleratory Centre to

increase the Cardiac Output.
 b) The baroreceptors also send impulses via the Sympathetic
Nervous System to the blood vessels so that they constrict.

 The actions of a) and b) result in the raising of the blood pressure

back to normal levels.

 When these actions have raised the blood pressure, the stimuli are no
longer there and so the blood pressure raising switch is turned off; if
this did not happen then our Blood Pressure would just get higher and
higher and higher.

Our blood pressure is monitored minute by minute with the homeostatic

systems adjusting our blood pressure all the time.

HSC/Intranet/441351647.doc/jao
What is blood pressure?

This is Cardiac Output multiplied by Total Peripheral Resistance. So it

follows that changes in Cardiac Output and Total Peripheral Resistance
will alter Blood Pressure.

Cardiac Output is how much blood the left ventricle pumps out in one
minute. We can calculate it like this:

e.g. 75 (pulse) x 70ml (in one ventricle contraction) = 5.25 L/min

Total Peripheral Resistance is the amount of friction through blood

vessels. The friction depends on the thickness of the blood (viscosity),
the length of the blood vessel and the diameter of the blood vessel; this
alteration, (stretch or constriction) of the diameter alters blood pressure
rapidly.

HSC/Intranet/441351647.doc/jao