Blood pressure

Factors that varying blood pressure

1. time of day
2. Posture
3. Gender
4. Age
5. activity
6. Exercise
7. stress (Emotional states)
Blood pressure fall,
1. At rest
2. sleep
Blood pressure increase,
1. Excitement
2. Fear
3. Anxiety
Components of blood pressure
1. Systolic blood pressure
2. Diastolic blood pressure
1. Systolic pressure
• pressure produced within the arterial system
when the left ventricle contracts and pushes
blood into the aorta
• systolic pressure in a normal healthy adult
systolic pressure is about 120 mmHg.
2. Diastolic pressure
• blood pressure within the arteries following
ejection of blood at complete cardiac diastole

• In a normal healthy adult diastolic pressure is

about 80 mmHg
Equipment used
• Atrial blood pressure is
measured by a
sphygmomanometer.
Atrial blood pressure expressed with the
following equation.
Atrial blood pressure =

= 120/80 mmHg
Hypertension
• Sustained elevated blood pressure above normal
limits is called hypertension
Consequences of Hypertension;
1. kidney damage
2. adrenal gland disorders
3. heart attack
Consequences of Hypertension;
1. kidney damage
High blood pressure may
damage glomerular
capillaries
Consequences of Hypertension;
2. adrenal gland disorders
3. heart attack
4. Stroke – Poor blood flow to the brain cause cell
death (caused by cerebral haemorrhage
(bleeding) due to high blood pressure)

5. damaged blood vessles which can lead to death

Hypotension
• Sustained reduction of blood pressure below
normal limits is called hypotension.
Hypotension occur as a secondary symptom
of various other Conditions
1. shock,
2. Dengue hemorrhage fever
3. standing up suddenly from sitting or lying
position
4. over bleeding/ hemorrhage condition
5. Fasting
6. low nutrition
• Low blood pressure leads to inadequate blood
supply to the brain. Depending on the cause
unconsciousness may be brief (fainting) or
prolonged possibly causing death.
Coronary circulation
• The heart is supplied with
arterial blood by the right
and left coronary arteries

• They branch from the aorta

immediately distal to the
aortic valve
• The coronary arteries travel
the heart wall eventually
forming a vast network of
capillaries.
• Most of the venous
blood is collected into a
number of cardiac veins

• Cardiac veins join to

form the coronary sinus

• Coronary sinus opens

into the right atrium.
• The remainder passes directly into the heart
chambers through little venous channels.
Consequences of blockage of coronary
arteries
• The inner lining of the arteries can be thickened
and harden leading to the condition called
atherosclerosis
• This occurs as a result of fatty deposits especially
cholesterol particles.
• One or more branches of coronary arteries can
be blocked due to atherosclerosis

• Depending on the place (s) of the block in the

coronary arteries and the degree of blockage
related parts of the heart muscle will be
deprived of oxygen and nutrients.
• Hence, narrowing of the arteries leads to chest
pain (Angina).
• The complete occlusion due to the blockage of
one or more coronary arteries leads to heart
attacks (Myocardial infarction)

• which refers to the damage or death of cardiac

muscle tissue due to lack of adequate oxygen
and nutrients.
• Due to this, heart beat rhythm may be abnormal
and the heart may cease to be an effective
pump.

• The other vital organs such as brain may be

deprived of inadequate supply of oxygen rich
blood and heart attack may be fatal if not
treated on time.
Stroke
• blockage due to atherosclerosis or rupture of
arteries supplying blood to the brain may cause
the death of nervous tissue due to lack of oxygen
and nutrients.

• This is refered to as stroke.

Respiratory pigments
Respiratory pigments-definition
• Respiratory pigments are organic compounds
which can combine with oxygen where the
partial pressure of oxygen is high and release
oxygen where partial pressure of oxygen is low.
Need for having respiratory pigments
• Since oxygen is less soluble in watery medium
including blood, transportation of oxygen from
respiratory surface to the tissues/ organs is a
problem for complex animals.

• To overcome this problem animals have evolved

the respiratory pigments.
Types of respiratory pigments
1. Haemoglobin
2. Haemocyanin
3. Chlorocruorin
4. Haemoerythrin
5. Myoglobin
Respiratory pigments-function
1. Transport oxygen from respiratory surfaces to
the tissues and organs

2. transport carbon dioxide from tissue/organs

to the respiratory surface for elimination
Respiratory pigments-function
• Myoglobin does not transport oxygen.
3. Myoglobin present in the muscle tissue has an
oxygen storage function
Transport of respiratory gases in
human blood
Transport of oxygen in human blood

• hemoglobin molecule found in erythrocytes

which is responsible for the transport of oxygen
• Hemoglobin is
composed of four
subunits.
• A ferrous (iron) atom is
located within each haem
group and each of these can
combine reversibly with one
molecule of oxygen

• Therefore each hemoglobin

molecule can carry up to
four oxygen molecules.
• Combination of oxygen with hemoglobin to
from oxyhemoglobin
Transport of carbondioxide in human blood