Notes

arteries
An artery is a blood vessel that takes blood away from the heart to all parts of the body. Most arteries carry oxygenated blood; the two exceptions are the pulmonary and the umbilical arteries, which carry deoxygenated blood to the organs that oxygenate it. The effective arterial blood volume is that extracellular fluid which fills the arterial system
capillaries
A capillary is a small blood vessel from 5 to 10 micrometres in diameter, and having a wall one endothelial cell thick. They are the smallest blood vessels in the body: they convey blood between the arterioles and venues. These micro vessels are the site of exchange of many substances with the interstitial fluid surrounding them. Substances which exit include water, oxygen, and glucose; substances which enter include water, carbon dioxide, uric acid, lactic acid, urea and creatinine. Lymph capillaries connect with larger lymph vessels to drain lymphatic fluid collected in the microcirculation
vasodilation
Vasodilation is the widening of blood vessels. It results from relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, in particular in the large veins, large arteries, and smaller arterioles. The process is the opposite of vasoconstriction, which is the narrowing of blood vessels
vasoconstriction
Vasoconstriction is the narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscular wall of the vessels, in particular the large arteries and small arterioles. The process is the opposite of vasodilation, the widening of blood vessels. The process is particularly important in controlling haemorrhage and reducing acute blood loss. When blood vessels constrict, the flow of blood is restricted or decreased, thus retaining body heat or increasing vascular resistance. This makes the skin turn paler because less blood reaches the surface, reducing the radiation of heat. On a larger level, vasoconstriction is one mechanism by which the body regulates and maintains mean arterial pressure
vascular shunt
Vascular shunt refers to the distribution of blood around the body. During Exercise the vascular system redistributes blood to areas with the greatest demand for oxygen away from areas with a lower demand for oxygen
atria left
The left atrium is one of four chambers in the heart and is located on the upper left-hand side. The lower chambers are known as ventricles. The right side of the heart is responsible for pumping blood to the lungs to collect oxygen in a process called oxygenation, while the left side pumps blood to the rest of the body
atria right
The right atrium is one of the two atria of the heart, which function as receiving chambers for blood entering the heart. It is located to the right of the left atrium and superior to the much larger and more muscular right ventricle. Between the right atrium and right ventricle is a one-way valve known as the tricuspid valve.
ventricle left
The left ventricle is one of four chambers of the heart. It is located in the bottom left portion of the heart below the left atrium, separated by the mitral valve. As the heart contracts, blood eventually flows back into the left atrium, and then through the mitral valve, whereupon it next enters the left ventricle.
ventricle right
The right ventricle is the chamber within the heart that is responsible for pumping oxygen-depleted blood to the lungs. The right ventricle is one of the heart’s four chambers. It is located in the lower right portion of the heart below the right atrium and opposite the left ventricle
pulmonary vein
the pulmonary vein are the veins that transfer oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heat. the largest pulmonary veins, two from each lung that drain into the left atrium o the heart
pulmonary artery
A pulmonary artery is an artery in the pulmonary circulation that carries deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. The largest pulmonary artery is the main pulmonary artery or pulmonary trunk from the heart, and the smallest ones are the arterioles, which lead to the capillaries that surround the pulmonary alveoli
aorta
The aorta is the main and largest artery in the human body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it splits into two smaller arteries. The aorta distributes oxygenated blood to all parts of the body through the systemic circulation.
vena cava
a large vein carrying deoxygenated blood into the heart. There are two in humans, the inferior vena cava (carrying blood from the lower body) and the superior vena cava (carrying blood from the head, arms, and upper body
deoxygenated blood pathway
Oxygenated blood is filled with oxygen from the lungs. In contrast, deoxygenated blood has had most of its oxygen removed and is returning to the lungs, ready to become reoxygenated. Oxygen is carried within red blood cells by a compound called haemoglobin, which is able to bind up to four oxygen molecules and form oxyhemoglobin.
Oxygenated blood pathway, oxygenated blood travels from the lungs, where it collects oxygen, to the heart so it can be pumped to the rest of the body. This blood travels through the pulmonary vein, then once it gets to the heart it enters the left atrium, then as it passes through the bicuspid valve it enters the left ventricle where the blood is then pumped through the semilunar valve into the aorta. This is then where it begins its journey round the body after it leaves the aorta.
The heart rate of a person is measured by how many times your heart beats per minute, it is recorded as '60 BPM' for example, this stands for 60 beats per minute. Your heart rate can vary for many reasons, for example if you are exercising then your muscles will need more oxygen supplied to them, so your heart rate will increase so that your body can work at the rate it needs to.
A persons maximal heart rate is also fairly straight forward, maximal heart rate (MHR) is the maximum beats per minute that your heart can beat. It is worked out by taking your age away from 220. So for example if you was a 35 year old man, then your maximum heart rate would be 185 (220-35=185).
In cardiovascular physiology, stroke volume (SV) is the volume of blood pumped from the left ventricle per beat. Stroke volume is calculated using measurements of ventricle volumes from an echocardiogram and subtracting the volume of the blood in the ventricle at the end of a beat (called end-systolic volume ) from the volume of blood just prior to the beat (called end-diastolic volume). The term stroke volume can apply to each of the two ventricles of the heart, although it usually refers to the left ventricle. The stroke volumes for each ventricle are generally equal, both being approximately 70 mL in a healthy 70-kg man.
Cardiac output (CO), also known as heart output denoted by the symbols Q, or Qc, is a term used in cardiac physiology that describes the volume of blood being pumped by the heart, by the left and right ventricle, per unit time. Cardiac output (CO) is the product of the heart rate (HR), i.e. the number of heartbeats per minute (bpm), and the stroke volume (SV), which is the volume of blood pumped from the ventricle per beat; thus, CO = HR × SV.
Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure of circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels. Most of this pressure is due to work done by the heart by pumping blood through the circulatory system. Used without further specification, "blood pressure" usually refers to the pressure in large arteries of the systemic circulation. Blood pressure is usually expressed in terms of the systolic pressure (maximum during one heartbeat) over diastolic pressure (minimum in between two heartbeats) and is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg), above the surrounding atmospheric pressure.
Cardiac output (Q) is the total volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute. It is the product of blood pumped by each heart beat (stroke volume or SV) and the number of beats (heart rate). The relationship between stroke volume and heart rate is constantly changing. Cardiac output (Q) = stroke volume (SV) x heart rate (HR).
the two types of blood pressure is Systolic blood pressure that refers to the pressure inside your arteries when your heart is pumping; diastolic pressure is the pressure inside your arteries when your heart is resting between beats.
systolic pressure
systolic pressure when the heart is contracting. it is specifically the maximum arterial pressure during contraction of the left ventricle of the heart. the time at which ventricular contraction occurs is called systole. in a blood pressure, reading, the systolic pressure is typically the first number recorded
range of blood pressure classification
In general, the ideal blood pressure is 120/80mmHg. Normal range is less than 130/85mmHg. 130-139mmHg/85-89mmHg is approximately high blood pressure, which is the highest range of normal bp. If you have stage 1 hypertension, it is just high blood pressure without any other organ disease
factors that affect blood pressure
smoking
being overweight or obese
lack of physical activity
to much salt in diet
stress
older age
too much alcohol consumption(more than 1 or 2 drinks per day