BLOOD

FLOW
How blood
flows?
 BLOOD
FLOW

The pressure generated
pressure by the
pumping action of the heart
propels the blood to the arteries.
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FLOW
In order to maintain an
adequate flow of blood to all
parts of the body, a certain level
of blood pressure is needed.
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Blood pressure, for instance,
enables a person to rise quickly
from a horizontal position
without blood pooling in the
legs, which would cause fainting
from deprivation of blood to the
brain.
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Normal blood pressure is regulated
by a number of factors, such as the
contraction of the heart, the
elasticity of arterial walls, blood
volume, and resistance of blood
vessels to the passage of blood.
Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All
rights reserved.
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Blood pressure is measured
using an inflatable device with a
gauge called
sphygmomanometer that is
wrapped around the upper arm.
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Blood pressure is measured
during systole, the active
pumping phase of the heart,
and diastole, the resting phase
between heartbeats.
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Systolic and diastolic pressures
are measured in units of
millimetres of mercury
(abbreviated mm Hg) and
displayed as a ratio.
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Blood pressure varies between
individuals and even during the
normal course of a day in
response to emotion, exertion,
sleep, and other physical and
mental changes.
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Normal blood pressure is less
than 120/80 mm Hg, in which
120 describes systolic pressure
and 80 describes diastolic
pressure.
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Higher blood pressures that
are sustained over a long
period of time may indicate
hypertension, a damaging
circulatory condition.
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Lower blood pressures could
signal shock from heart failure,
dehydration, internal bleeding,
or blood loss.
Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation.
All rights reserved.
 BLOOD
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Sphygmomanometer
an instrument used to measure blood
pressure in an artery that consists of
a pressure gauge, an inflatable cuff
placed around the upper arm, and an
inflator bulb or pressure pump
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The contraction of the heart,
during which blood is pumped
into the arteries.
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the rhythmic expansion of the
chambers of the heart at each
heartbeat, during which they fill
with blood