What is vascular resistance?
force within the circulatory system opposing the flow of blood
What is laminar flow?
What is turbulent flow?
laminar: flow of a substance (blood) through a tube (blood vessel) parallel to
the tube’s edges (vessel walls) whereby velocity increases towards
the centre of the lumen
turbulent: disorganised flow of substance (blood) through a tube (blood vessel)
in a wide variety of antegrade and retrograde velocities simultaneously
What is the Poiseuille Hagen Formula?
formula expressing the relationship between flow, viscosity and tube (blood vessel) radius
most important take away = SMALL CHANGES TO RADIUS HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON FLOW
What is Laplace’s Law?
tension on the wall of a cylinder (blood vessel) is equal to the product of transmural pressure and radius divided by wall thickness
most important implication: EXPLAINS WHY CAPILLARIES DO NOT RUPTURE DESPITE HAVING VERY THIN WALLS - the smaller the radius of a vessel, the less tension is required to withstand internal pressure
Flow of blood/fluid is affected by what?
pressure
- fluids from from high to low pressure
resistance
- high resistance reduces flow
Blood flow through vessels is what?
Where is velocity the highest and lowest?
laminar
- flow is organised and parallel to the cylinder (blood vessel) walls
velocity is highest in the centre of the lumen and lowest where blood is in contact with the cylinder (blood vessel) walls
velocity = distance substance is displaced over time
Blood flow is __1__ until it reaches a __2__ at which point flow will become __3__.
What is velocity?
What is it affected by?
distance substance is displaced over time
Where is the largest total cross-sectional area? What does that mean in regards to velocity?
at the level of capillaries
means that lowest velocity is within the capillaries
Turbulent flow is triggered by a substance reaching what?
What is turbulent flow?
critical velocity
disorganised flow of a substance (blood) through a tube (blood vessel) displaying a wide variety of high velocities - creates NOISE which can be heard on auscultation, high velocities can be ANTEGRADE AND RETROGRADE
What is turbulence impacted by?
How does increased viscosity and decreased diameter impact turbulence?
increased viscosity decreases the chance of flow becoming turbulent
decreased diameter increased the chance of flow becoming turbulent
What is viscosity?
the degree to which a fluid resists deformation
high viscosity = low flow
What is viscosity in the blood produced by?
FRICTION BETWEEN MOLECULES AND CELLS
- ++ molecules/cells = ++ viscosity
- increased haematocrit = ++ viscosity
COMPRESSIBILITY OF CELLS
- ++ rigidity = ++ viscosity e.g hereditary spherocytosis
COMPOSITION OF PLASMA
- e.g conditions leading to increased IG concentration
What is the key point about Poiseuille Hagen’s Formula?
that radius has a huge impact on flow and resistance
small increase in diameter = massively increases FLOW
small decrease in diameter = massively increases RESISTANCE
In regards to Poiseuille Hagen’s formula, what would a small increase in diameter cause?
What would a small decrease in diameter cause?
small increase: increase flow
small decrease: increase resistance
Why are arterioles very effective at increasing flow or resistance?
(very effective at controlling blood supply to organs)
What is Critical Closing Pressure?
the intravascular pressure below which a blood vessel collapses and blood flow stops, because the surrounding tissue pressure and vascular smooth muscle tone overcome the luminal pressure
(minimum pressure needed to keep a vessel open - if blood pressure falls below this, the vessel shuts and flow stops even though pressure isnt zero)
Capillary walls are 1 cell thick. Why do they not rupture?
T = P x r (law of laplace)
T = wall tension
P = transmural pressure (inside vs outside)
r = radius of vessel
capillary walls are thin but capillaries also have a tiny radius so even if pressure inside is significant, multiplying it by a very small r means the tension in the wall is very low
low wall tension = little risk of rupture
Which vessels are Capacitance? What does this mean?
veins - they can hold large volumes of blood with only a small rise in pressure
What does “systolic pressure” refer to?
What does “diastolic pressure” refer to?
systolic: arterial pressure at systole
diastolic: arterial pressure at diastole
What does “pulse pressure” refer to?
What does “mean pressure” refer to?
pulse pressure: difference between systolic and diastolic BP
mean pressure: average pressure throughout cardiac cycle
What are the different types of vessels?
What are the 2 major cell types?