35 - Arterial blood flow. Arterial pulse. Sphygmography. Characteristics of arterial pulse. Blood flow in the veins. Venous pulse. Phlebography.

sections

arterial blood flow

arterial pulse and characteristics

arterial pulsation

blood flow in veins and venous pulse

phlebography/venography

measuring arterial blood pressure

arterial blood flow

• Blood flow is the quantity of blood that passes a given point in the circulation in a given period of time.

• Arterial circulation involves arteries, like the aorta and pulmonary arteries.

• Arteries carry blood away from the heart and help keep blood pressure consistent.

• Arteries → arterioles.

• Arteries and arterioles have strong, flexible walls that allow them to adjust the amount and rate of blood flowing

• The purpose of the arterial system is to deliver oxygenated blood to the tissues

arterial pulse and characteristics

• The arterial pulse is a measurement of the heart’s contraction rate because of pulse wave produced by left ventricle contraction

  • Systolic pressure (SP) is the maximum pressure reached during peak ventricular ejection.

    • Normal -100 - 140 mm Hg

  • Diastolic pressure (DP) is the minimum pressure reached during ventricular relaxation.

    • Normal -60 - 90 mm Hg.

  • Pulse pressure (PP) is the difference between the systolic and diastolic pressure.

    • PP = SP - DP

  • Mean arterial pressure (MAP) is the average pressure in a cardiac cycle.

    • MAP = DP + 1/3 (SP - DP)

  • Mean arterial pressure = Cardiac output x Total peripheral resistance

• The arterial pulse rate can be palpated: carotid artery, brachial artery, radial artery, femoral artery, popliteal artery, posterior tibial artery and dorsalis pedis artery.

arterial pulsation

• pulsus rarus- slow Pulsus frequens- rapid

• Pulsus regularis, pulsus irregularis

• Pulsus durus- hard, pulsus molis- soft

• Pulsus magnus, pulsus parvus-weak, pulsus filiformis-thready

• Pulsus plenus- full, pulsus inanus- empty

• pulsus celer-quick, pulsus tardus- slow

blood flow in veins and venous pulse

• Blood flow in the veins and venous pulse

• Veins are blood reservoirs, transport blood to the heart.

• Transport deoxygenated blood to the heart- except in the pulmonary vein.

• Factors that increase blood return and RAP are:

  • increased blood volume

  • increased large vessel tone throughout the body with resultant increased peripheral venous pressure

  • dilation of the arterioles, decrease the peripheral resistance and allows rapid inflow of blood from the arteries into the veins.

• The normal RAP is about 0mmHg.

phlebography/venography

Phlebography/Venography is an x-ray examination that uses an injection of contrast material to show how blood flows through the veins.

A venogram is commonly used to:

• assess the status of a vein or system of veins

• find blood clots within the veins

• assess varicose veins before surgery