CVPR Week 6: Pulmonary Circulation Flashcards
(115 cards)
Objectives

In what way are the pulmonary and systemic circulations connected?
In series
How much of the cardiac output does the pulmonary circulation receive?
The entire cardiac output for the purpose of gas exchange
Explain the flow of air and blood in the cardiovascular and respiratory systems



What is this?


What is this?


Explain the difference


Explain the structure of pulmonary arteries


Identify


How are pulmonary capillaries arranged?

What is this?


Identify


Large pulmonic veins contain?
Cardiac muscle and can produce ectopic beats which can initiate atrial fibrilation

Pulmonary arteries structure
pulmonary arteries are not highly muscular
pulmonary capillaries are arranged in?
dense networks ideal for gas exchange
Pulmonary veins transport?
oxygenated blood from the lungs to the LV
Pulmonary veins caveat
larger veins have a layer of cardiac muscle and can produce ectopic beats initiating atrial fibrillation which can be ablated and completely cure the atrial fibrillation
Pulmonic pressure vs systemic pressures
pulmonary circulation has very little if any tone at all
for the most part there is very low tone
and only 10 mmHg pressure gradient driving the flow through here
changing diameter of the alveoli changing resistance

Alveolar and extra-alveolar vessel diameters are influenced by?
- an increase in alveolar pressure causes reduced radius of the capillary if the pressure was high enough = ↓ radius and ↑ resistance to flow
- When alveolar volume ↑ this will ↓ radius of capillary and ↑ resistance to flow
- both of things lead to ↑ resistance to flow and can increase pulmonary arterial pressure and over the long term can decrease CO and lead to right heart failure
- Setting ventilator right to minimize lung damage to infants
- the extra-alveolar vessels are physically attached to the lung tissue so when lung volume increases these vessels are pulled open which actually reduces resistance to flow
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Alveolar and extra-alveolar vessel diameters are influenced by?
Alveolar Pressure
Alveolar volume
Lung volume
How does lung volume affect capillary pressure?
since the extra-alveolar vessels are physically attached to the lung, when the lung expands the vessels dilate.
Increase in lung volume = decrease in alveolar capillary pressure
Pulmonary circulation site of greatest vascular resistance
capillaries - 60%
Arteries 20%
Veins - 20%

What is the relative diameter of pulmonary capillaries?
a little bit smaller than a RBC’s diameter so they have to squeeze through creating more resistance and serving as the site of highest resistance in the pulmonary circulation





























































