Lab 4 : Cardiovascular Physiology Trends

Effect of Exercise and Postural Changes on Blood Pressure

• Blood pressure increases when sitting on a table causing blood to settle within legs

  • heart works harder increasing circulation and both blood pressure and pulse rate increase

• When going from lying down to standing up blood pressure slightly decreases due to orthostatic hypotension ( positional changes and blood settling in legs)

  • blood pressure will decrease immediately after standing up from lying down but then correct itself by increasing blood pressure

Blood pressure and pulse rate increase when standing for 3 minutes to jogging place for 5 minutes. What is this due to ?

An increased in cardiac output. More blood needs to pump out heart to meet oxygen need during exercise

Cold Pressor Test

Increase in blood pressure when submerging a body part under cold water

• vasoconstriction: occurs, which decreases blood vessel diameter and increases resistance in a vessel which increases blood pressure

Valves and Unidirectional Flow

• when releasing pressure from proximal aspect of vein it will not refill with blood since pressure is being applied by the finger

• when releasing pressure from the distal aspect of vein the vein will refill with blood

• Veins in hands: there is a directional flow of blood from distal to proximal

( blood is returning to the heart)

Diving Reflex

specialized receptors located in the nose will trigger the trigeminal nerve slowing heart rate ( bradycardia)

• removing face from water : pulse rate decreases and blood pressure increases from their normal resting pulse and blood pressure (lead to a increase in peripheral resistance and stroke volume)

• after 4 min interval when subject is no longer present in water pulse rate will increase and return to normal

Havard Step test

observe and record a subject’s exercises (no more than 5 minutes) and blood pressure and pulse at 1 minute intervals for 3 min post exercises

• lower index number the poorer physical condition

Tuttle - Pulse Ration Test

if the number of steps is above the established norms, then the subject needs to take more steps, and if it is below the established norm, the subject needs more steps to reach 2. 5 ration

• pulse ratio in first and second test separately and number of steps taken