Overview of the Circulation;

Biophysics of Pressure, Flow, and

Resistance
Chapter 14
Slides by Moni Nader, PhD

Figures were adapted from The Textbook of Medical Physiology, Guyton et al.
Students are responsible of the complete content of the materials in Chapter 214

13.01.2019
Objectives

Physical characteristics of the circulation:

Distribution of blood volume
Total cross sectional area
Velocity
Blood pressure
 Determinants of blood flow
 Define and calculate blood flow, resistance, and pressure
 Define and calculate conductance
 Know Poiseulle’s law
Major functions of circulatory system
 Transporting nutrients to the tissues

 Transporting waste products away from the

tissues

 Transporting hormones

The rate of blood flow through many tissues is controlled mainly in response to
their need for nutrients. In some organs, like the Kidneys, their blood flow
exceeds by far their metabolic needs- Filtration.
Major functions of circulatory system

Blood flows in
a circuit at rate
of 5 L/min

Systemic circulation
Greater circulation
Peripheral circulation

Figure 14-1
Major functions of circulatory system

• Transports blood to tissues

under high pressure (100mmHg)
Major functions of circulatory system

• Control site for blood flow

• Major resistance site of the circulation
Major functions of circulatory system

• Major site of water and solute

exchange between blood and tissues
Major functions of circulatory system

Returns blood to heart under

low pressure
Serve as a reservoir of blood
Major functions of circulatory system

Site of oxygen and carbon

dioxide exchange
Which component of the circulation has the largest total cross-
sectional area?

cm2
Aorta 2.5
Small Arterioles 20
Arterioles 40
Capillaries 2500
Venules 250
Small Veins 80
Venae Cavae 8

Note the large blood volume capacity in the venous system when compared
with the arterial system
Which component of the circulation has the largest total cross-
sectional area?

cm2
Aorta 2.5
Small Arterioles CSA of capillaries 20
Arterioles is 1000 times 40
higher than aorta
Capillaries 2500
Venules 250
Small Veins 80
Venae Cavae 8

Note the large blood volume capacity in the venous system when compared
with the arterial system
Which component of the circulation has the highest blood
velocity?
Velocity of blood flow is the speed at
which blood flows in the circulation (mm/sec)

Velocity of Blood Flow = Blood Flow

Cross sectional area

Aorta > Arterioles > Small veins > Capillaries

Velocity = 33 cm/sec Velocity = 0.3 mm/sec

Pressures in the various portions of the circulation
Basic principles of circulatory function
• Blood flow to tissues is controlled in relation to tissue needs:
 Availability of oxygen and nutrients
 Accumulation of carbon dioxide and metabolic wastes
 Central nervous regulation of tissues blood flow (hormones)

• Cardiac output is mainly controlled by local tissue flow

 Automaton: pumping back the blood from veins (in provenance of tissues) into the arteries
 Often needs help in the form of special nerve signals

• Arterial pressure is controlled independent of either local blood flow

control or cardiac output control
Fall in arterial pressure elicits reflexes that induce:
 Increase in heart rate (pumping activity)
 Venous constriction (increase venous return)
 Constriction of arterioles (accumulation of blood in arteries)
 Interrelationships of pressure, flow, and resistance
Blood flow through a blood vessel is determined by two factors:
• Pressure difference (ΔP= P1 –P2)
• Vascular resistance (R)

Ohm’s law: F = ΔP
R
Blood flow

• Blood flow is the quantity of blood that passes a given point in the
circulation in a given period of time.
• Unit of blood flow is usually expressed as milliliters (ml) or Liters (L)
per minute.
• Overall flow in the circulation of an adult is 5 liters/min which is the
cardiac output.
 Blood flow (laminar and turbulent flow)

• In A: no flow, both liquids are not moving.

• In B: parabolic velocity profile during the laminar flow- center blood layer is faster
then the blood on the edge (due to resistance of blood vessel)
• In C: Turbulent flow, blood layers flow in whorls called eddy currents (higher
resistance than laminar flow)

Causes of turbulent blood flow

• High velocities
• Sharp turns in the circulation
• Rough surfaces in the circulation
• Rapid narrowing of blood vessels

Blood Vessel
 Blood flow (laminar and turbulent flow)
Tendency for turbulent flow –given by the Reynold’s number (Re) formula- increases in
direct proportion to: the velocity of blood flow (ν in cm/sec),
the diameter of the blood vessel (d in cm),
the density of blood (ρ )
and is inversely proportional to the viscosity of the blood (in poise).
Re = ν.d.ρ
η
Re normally rises to 200 to 400 turbulence at some branches of vessels but it dies in the
smooth portion of the vessels. If Re increases to 2,000, turbulence will occur even in straight,
smooth vessels.
Re can increase to several thousands at the proximal part of the aorta and pulmonary artery
during the rapid phase of ventricle ejection because of:
 High velocity of blood
 Pulsatile nature of the flow
 Sudden change in vessel diameter
 Large vessel diameter
Blood flow (laminar and turbulent flow)

Turbulent flow increases wall stress

Aortic Aneurysm Atherosclerosis

Blood Pressure

• Blood pressure is the force exerted by the blood against any

unit area of vessel wall

• Measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). A pressure of

100 mmHg means the force of blood was sufficient to push a
column of mercury 100mm high

• Low pressures are sometimes reported in units of mm of water.

• 1 mmHg = 13.6 mm of water height

 Resistance to blood flow
• Resistance is the impediment to blood flow in a vessel
• Resistance can be calculated by dividing the pressure
difference between two points in a vessel by the vessel blood
flow

R =  P = mmHg
Q ml/min

Unit of Resistance PRU: Peripheral Resistance Unit

PRU=1 for the entire systemic circulation
PRU may increase up to 4 and may decrease down to 0.2
(constriction vs dilation)
Resistance to blood flow

• Resistance is the impediment to blood flow in a vessel

• Resistance can be calculated by dividing the pressure
difference between two points in a vessel by the vessel
blood flow

R =  P = mmHg
Q ml/min
 What is conductance?

• Conductance is a measure of the blood flow through a

vessel for a given pressure difference

• Units ml/min per mmHg

1
Conductance =
Resistance

Conductance is proportional to Diameter 4

CTotal= C1 + C2 + C3 + C4 …
 Resistance to blood flow in series and parallel vascular circuits

Series arrangement

Parallel arrangement
allows independent
control of flow
between tissues

Parallel arrangement
Effect of blood hematocrit and blood viscosity on vascular resistance
and blood flow

Figure 14-11
Figure 14-10

Hematocrit Blood Viscosity Vascular Resistance

 Effect of pressure on vascular resistance and tissue blood flow

Effect of changes in arterial pressure over a period of Effect of arterial pressure on blood
several hours on blood flow in a tissue (i.e. skeletal flow through a passive Blood vessel
muscle)