AnaPhy - Chapter 12
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
TOPIC OUTLINE
1 Special Circulations
2 Physiology of Circulation
3 Control of Blood Vessels
SPECIAL CIRCULATIONS
BRAIN BLOOD SUPPLY
à supplied with blood anteriorly with internal
carotid artery and posteriorly with vertebral artery
à internal carotid artery is the branch of the
common carotid artery: neck to temporal bones;
divides into anterior and middle cerebral artery
à anterior and middle cerebral artery supplies most
of cerebrum, forehead, nose, eye, middle hair
à vertebral artery supplies the posterior part of the
brain; it forms vascular artery that serves the
brainstem and cerebellum as it travels upward
à anterior and posterior blood vessels are united by
a small communicating arterial branches resulting in
a circle called cerebral arterial circle or circle of
Willis: circle on the under surface of the brain, they
are formed by link branches of arteries known as
communicating arterial branches that supplies the
brain; protects the brain by providing more than one
route for blood to reach the brain in case there is a
clot or impaired blood flow in the system
HEPATIC PORTAL VEIN
à involves the liver
à drains the digestive organs, spleen, and the
pancreas and delivers the blood to the liver before
entering into inferior vena cava going back to the
heart
à After eating, our hepatic portal blood contains
large amount of nutrients. Since the liver is a body
organ involve in maintaining the proper nutrients,
glucose, fat, and protein concentration of the blood.
This is them takes a detour to ensure that the liver
processes these substances before entering systemic
circulation.
à ss blood goes to the liver then the things are
removed to be stored or processed in various ways
for later release to the blood
INFERIOR MESENTERIC VEIN
à drains the terminal part of the large intestine into
splenic vein
SPLENIC VEIN
à drains the spleen, pancreas, and left side of
stomach to liver before its release from hepatic vein
going to inferior vena cava and enters to right
atrium
SUPERIOR MESENTERIC VEIN
à drains the small intestines and first part of colon
LEFT GASTRIC VEIN
à drains the right side of stomach directly into
hepatic portal vein
FETAL CIRCULATION
à before birth, the human circulatory system has
several special features that adopt the body to life in
the womb
FEATURES
1 PLACENTA
à organ within the uterus of which the
embryo is attach to the wall of the uterus
FUNCTIONS:
• to provide the fetus with
nourishment
• eliminate wastes
• where respiratory gases exchange
2 THREE BLOOD VESSELS OF THE UMBILICAL
CORD
• TWO UMBILICAL ARTERIES
à carries carbon dioxide and
debris-laden blood from the fetus to
the placenta
• ONE UMBILICAL VEIN
à carries blood rich in nutrients and
oxygen to the fetus
3 THREE BYPASSES / DETOURS
• DUCTUS VENOSUS
à bypasses the liver
• FORAMEN OVALE
à bypasses right ventricle
• DUCTUS ARTERIOSUS
à bypasses the lungs
à unoxygenated blood from inferior and superior
vena cava enters to right atrium - right ventricle -
lungs via pulmonary artery for oxygenation going
back to the heart through left atrium – left ventricle –
different systems of the body
à only happens shortly after birth
à Circulation in fetus happens in placenta; nutrients
of fetus comes from the mother. The mother delivers
the nutrients, oxygen (oxygenated), and other
supplies through placenta. The blood enter placenta
going immediately to right atrium. No oxygenated
blood from liver because there’s ductus venosus,
going directly to right atrium - left atrium - left
ventricle - aorta - placenta via umbilical arteries
à on the other hand, blood from superior and
inferior vena cava still enter right atrium – right
ventricle – pulmonary arteries – descending aorta –
umbilical arteries - placenta
NOTE
Is there blood supply to the liver of the baby?
à Following the adult circulation, blood entering
inferior and superior vena cava go to lungs for
oxygenation.
à There are blood supply particularly in the
lungs, liver however the main purpose is not for
oxygenation but rather for growth and
development of the organ.
à In terms of oxygenation, oxygenation is being
supplied by the mother via placenta.
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à Shortly after birth, the foramen ovale will close;
ductus arteriosus will collapse and they will be
converted to fibrous ligamentum arteriosum. As
blood stops flowing through the umbilical vessels,
they become obliterated and circulatory pattern of
the baby will be converted to that of an adult.
à bypasses only happens once the fetus is still in the
womb of the mother
PHYSIOLOGY OF CIRCULATION
ARTERIAL PULSE
PULSE
à a series of pressure waves within an artery
caused by contractions of the left ventricle and
travels through the arterial system
à average adult pulse rate is 60 to 80 bpm
à influenced by activity, postural changes (sitting
decreases venous return to the heart, decreases
blood pressure, as compensatory mechanism of the
heart, more pumping increases pulse rate), emotion,
age (younger has higher pulse rate), sex or gender
(female has higher pulse rate because of hormonal
changes), exercise (increase in activity increases
metabolic rate therefore increasing pulse rate), body
temperature (e.g., fever increases metabolic rate
therefore increasing pulse rate), there are
medications that increases pulse rate, stress
increases pulse rate
ARTERIAL PULSE POINT
APICAL PULSE
à heart
à left mid-clavicular lines between intercostal space
using stethoscope
TEMPORAL PULSE
à temporal bone
COMMON: wrist (radial artery)
WHEN TAKING PULSE RATE: use middle two to three
fingers; don’t use the thumb
BLOOD PRESSURE
à the pressure the blood exerts against the inner
walls of the blood vessel
MEASURING BLOOD PRESSURE
SYSTOLIC PRESSURE
à the pressure in the arteries at the peak of
ventricular contraction
DIASTOLIC PRESSURE
à the pressure when ventricles are relaxing
à measure in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) by
means of sphygmomanometer at the brachial artery
(where the pressure is most similar to the blood
leaving the heart)
DETERMINANTS OF BLOOD PRESSURE
• CARDIAC OUTPUT
à when the pumping action of the heart is
weak, decreases cardiac output, decreases
blood pressure
• PERIPHERAL RESISTANCE
à amount of friction encountered by the
blood as it flows to blood vessels; when the
blood vessels are constricted, higher
friction increasing blood pressure; loose
(vasodilation), decreases blood pressure
à any increase in cardiac output or peripheral
resistance causes an almost immediately rise in
blood pressure
• BLOOD VOLUME
à high blood volume (hypervolemia),
blood pressure increases
à directly proportional
• BLOOD VISCOSITY
à more viscous, as a compensatory
mechanism, more pumping action
increasing blood pressure
• ELASTICITY OR COMPLIANCE OF BLOOD
VESSELS
à e.g., older peoples’ blood vessels
become less elastic, as a compensatory
mechanism, more pumping action,
increases blood pressure
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FACTORS THAT AFFECTS BLOOD PRESSURE
1. NEURAL FACTORS:
the autonomic nervous system
à responsible for the control of involuntary
muscles e.g., heart muscles
• sympathetic nervous system
à increases heart rate and blood
pressure
• parasympathetic nervous system
à decreases heart rate
à causes constriction in papillary
muscles
2. RENAL FACTORS
à kidney plays a major role in regulating
the arterial blood pressure by altering the
blood volume
à SEX - male have higher blood pressure,
but after age 65, females have already
higher blood pressure due to hormonal
changes or variations (i.e., menopause)
à WEIGHT - overweight have higher blood
pressure
à TIME OF THE DAY – diurnal pattern:
blood pressure is lowest in the morning /
sleeping; highest in the late afternoon or
early evening
à EXERCISE – excessive activity increases
blood pressure
à BODY POSITION
à EMOTIONAL STATE – under stress
stimulate sympathetic nervous system
causes increases in blood pressure
à VARIOUS DRUGS – use of some
medications decrease blood pressure

CONTROL OF BLOOD VESSELS

• Vasomotor center/ vasoconstrictor center

• Vasomotor Pressoreflexes
• Vasomotor Chemoreflexes
• Medullary Ischemic Reflex
• Vasomotor control by higher brain centers
• Local Control of Arterioles

RAAS (Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone
System)
à the long term control of blood pressure
is via RAAS system
à one of the body’s compensatory
mechanism to a fall in blood pressure,
RAAS system will be activated: the kidney
will release the enzyme renin into the
bloodstream and will be converted to
angiotensinogen and will form angiotensin I
and will be converted to angiotensin II
(potent vasoconstrictor, causes increase in
blood pressure). Under the influence of
angiotensin II, aldosterone will be release
increasing aldosterone level in the blood,
retaining sodium, more salt will be
reabsorbed, more water will be
reabsorbed. Once retained, osmolality of
the blood increases increasing blood
volume, increasing blood pressure.
3. TEMPERATURE
à vasoconstriction (cold), increases blood
pressure, vasodilation (heat), decreases
blood pressure
4. CHEMICALS
à e.g., smoking contains nicotine that
increases blood pressure and causes
vasoconstriction
à alcohol is a vasodilator, decreases blood
pressure
5. DIET
à high cholesterol, high salt increases
blood pressure
6. OTHER FACTORS
à AGE - older people have higher blood
pressure due to the decrease in elasticity of
the blood vessels

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