Week 5 - Blood Pressure

Question 1

Blood pressure equation

Answer 1

CO x SVR

Question 2

What is Systemic Vascular Resistance

Answer 2

The diameter of our blood vessels

Question 3

What decreases SVR

Answer 3

Vasodilation

Question 4

What increases SVR

Answer 4

Vasoconstriction

Question 5

Factors that influence CO

Answer 5

HR, contractibility, volume, SVR

Question 6

Going for a run, will this increase or decrease BP and why

Answer 6

Increased HR due to increase in oxygen demand, increased contractibility to pump blood around, increased volume through venous return. Therefore increased BP.

Question 7

Nervous for an exam, will this increase or decrease BP and why

Answer 7

Sympathetic nervous system increases HR, SVR increased due to vasoconstriction, contractibility increased. Therefore increased BP.

Question 8

Extremely dehydrated, will this increase or decrease BP and why

Answer 8

Decrease in contractibility due to loss of electrolytes (calcium) which is essential for the excitation-contraction coupling with cardiac myocytes.

Question 9

Getting a massage, will this increase or decrease BP and why

Answer 9

If you become relaxed in a massage. Decrease in HR due to PNS activation, contractibility decreases. Lowers BP.

Question 10

When we age does our BP increase or decrease and why

Answer 10

Blood vessels become less elastic as we age, meaning more resistance = higher BP.

Question 11

Atherosclerosis

Answer 11

Thickening of arterial walls. Low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol) is deposited in arterial walls. Immune cells turn them into hardened plaque. HDL clean these up.