Blood pressureBlood pressure (BP) is the pressure of circulating blood against the walls of blood vessels. Most of this pressure results from the heart pumping blood through the circulatory system. When used without qualification, the term "blood pressure" refers to the pressure in a brachial artery, where it is most commonly measured.
Pulmonary circulationThe pulmonary circulation is a division of the circulatory system in all vertebrates. The circuit begins with deoxygenated blood returned from the body to the right atrium of the heart where it is pumped out from the right ventricle to the lungs. In the lungs the blood is oxygenated and returned to the left atrium to complete the circuit.
Pulmonary artery catheterCatheter for insertion into a pulmonary artery Medical intervention Swan sitting on its packaging A pulmonary artery catheter (PAC), also known as a Swan-Ganz catheter, thermodilution catheter, or right heart catheter, is a balloon-tipped catheter that is inserted into a pulmonary artery in a procedure known as pulmonary artery catheterization or right heart catheterization.
Cardiac outputIn cardiac physiology, cardiac output (CO), also known as heart output and often denoted by the symbols Q {\displaystyle Q} , Q ˙ {\displaystyle {\dot {Q}}} , or Q ˙ c {\displaystyle {\dot {Q}}_{c}} , is the volumetric flow rate of the heart's pumping output: that is, the volume of blood being pumped by a single ventricle of the heart, per unit time (usually measured per minute).
VasodilationVasodilation, also known as vasorelaxation, is the widening of blood vessels. It results from relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, in particular in the large veins, large arteries, and smaller arterioles. Blood vessel walls are composed of endothelial tissue and a basal membrane lining the lumen of the vessel, concentric smooth muscle layers on top of endothelial tissue, and an adventitia over the smooth muscle layers.
ArterioleAn arteriole is a small-diameter blood vessel in the microcirculation that extends and branches out from an artery and leads to capillaries. Arterioles have muscular walls (usually only one to two layers of smooth muscle cells) and are the primary site of vascular resistance. The greatest change in blood pressure and velocity of blood flow occurs at the transition of arterioles to capillaries.
Circulatory systemOrgan system for circulating blood in animalsIn vertebrates, the circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the body. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, that consists of the heart and blood vessels (from Greek kardia meaning heart, and Latin vascula meaning vessels).
VasoconstrictionVasoconstriction is the narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscular wall of the vessels, in particular the large arteries and small arterioles. The process is the opposite of vasodilation, the widening of blood vessels. The process is particularly important in controlling hemorrhage and reducing acute blood loss. When blood vessels constrict, the flow of blood is restricted or decreased, thus retaining body heat or increasing vascular resistance.
ArteryAn artery (from Greek ἀρτηρία (artēríā)) is a blood vessel in humans and most other animals that takes oxygenated blood away from the heart in the systemic circulation to one or more parts of the body. Exceptions that carry deoxygenated blood are the pulmonary arteries in the pulmonary circulation that carry blood to the lungs for oxygenation, and the umbilical arteries in the fetal circulation that carry deoxygenated blood to the placenta.
BloodBlood is a specialized form of connective tissue and body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells of the body, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood is composed of blood cells suspended in plasma. Plasma, which constitutes 55% of blood fluid, is mostly water (92% by volume), and contains proteins, glucose, mineral ions, and hormones.
DyneThe dyne (symbol: dyn; from Ancient Greek (dúnamis)'power, force') is a derived unit of force specified in the centimetre–gram–second (CGS) system of units, a predecessor of the modern SI. HistoryThe name dyne was first proposed as a CGS unit of force in 1873 by a Committee of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, and is from Ancient Greekδύναμις ('force', 'power').HemodynamicsHemodynamics or haemodynamics are the dynamics of blood flow as well as a branch of biofluid dynamics. The circulatory system is controlled by homeostatic mechanisms of autoregulation, just as hydraulic circuits are controlled by control systems. The hemodynamic response continuously monitors and adjusts to conditions in the body and its environment. Hemodynamics explains the physical laws that govern the flow of blood in the blood vessels.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.