Arterial System

Flashcards covering vascular anatomy, arterial physiology, hemodynamics, and related concepts.

Systole

Heart contraction causing blood to accelerate.

Diastole

Heart relaxation causing blood to decelerate.

Pulsatile flow

Flow influenced by the beating heart with acceleration and deceleration.

Arteries

Blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart.

Veins

Blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart.

Tunica externa

Outermost layer of arterial wall made of connective tissue.

Vasa Vasorum

Small artery responsible for arterial wall blood supply.

Tunica media

Middle layer of arterial wall made of smooth muscle, responsible for vasoconstriction and vasodilation.

Tunica intimae

Innermost layer of arterial wall made of epithelium tissue (endothelium).

Great artery

Large arteries close to the heart with well-developed tunica externa.

Arterioles

Small arteries with thick smooth muscles responsible for vasoconstriction and vasodilation.

Capillary

Smallest arteries made of a single layer of endothelium, allowing exchanges between blood and tissue.

Potential energy

Stored energy in cardiovascular system created by the pumping action of the heart.

Kinetic energy

Energy in the cardiovascular system resulted in blood motion, representing blood velocity.

Gravitational energy (Hydrostatic energy)

Represents the weight of the column of blood extending from the heart.

Bernoulli principle

When fluid flows without velocity change, total energy remains constant if no frictional losses.

Stenosis

Narrowing of a blood vessel affecting blood flow and pressure.

Continuity Rule

In stenosis, velocity increases and pressure decreases to keep flow volume constant.

Poiseuille's Law

Describes flow volume relationship; flow = pie x pressure gradient x radius / 8 x viscosity x vessel length

Pressure gradient

Difference in energy (pressure) between two points, driving blood flow.

Viscosity

Thickness of blood, representing friction between fluid layers.

Inertia

Tendency of a body at rest to stay at rest or in motion to stay in motion, causing energy losses.

Resistance to flow

Friction from blood movement resulting in energy losses.

Low resistance

Occurs with dilated distal arteriolar bed, antegrade flow throughout cardiac cycle.

High resistance

Occurs with vasoconstriction, antegrade during systole, retrograde during diastole.

Laminar flow

Normal blood flow where blood moves in parallel layers.

Turbulence flow

Non-laminar blood flow, random and chaotic, with layers moving at different speeds.

Reynolds Number

Used to predict turbulent flow; over 2000 signifies turbulence.

Collateral vessels

Preexisting pathways that enlarge with stenosis or occlusion, reducing resistance.

Hemodynamics of exercise

Exercise increases blood flow; arterial disease limits this increase, causing symptoms.