Hemodynamics

Dr.sultan
 Heme = blood dynamics= movement
 It is the study of factors that determine the blood flow and
pressure in the body.
 Study of relationship between pressure, flow and resistance
 These three factors concerned with the study of movement of
blood through heart and blood vessel.
 Pressure or force that propels the blood through blood vessels.
 Represent by “P”
 Resistance which blood faces during blood flow.
 Represent as “R”
 Flow is the movement of blood in a vessel
 Represent by F
Relationship between flow, resistance and
pressure
 Blood flow through a vessel is directly proportional to pressure
gradient
 Inversely proportional to resistance offered by blood vessel.
Q = ∆P/R
BLOOD FLOW= Pressure gradient/Resistance
Blood flow

 It is the volume of blood that passes at a given time in the

circulation per unit time.
 represent by “F” or Q (Flow) Expressed in ml/min or L/min.
 Blood flow through circulation of an adult at rest is 5 L/min.
 Direction of blood flow follows pressure gradient i.e from higher
pressure to lower pressure
 Measured by ultrasonic flow meter and Doppler flow meter.
Types of blood flow

 Laminar blood flow

 Turbulent blood flow
Laminar blood flow

When blood flows at a steady rate through a long,

smooth vessel, it flows in streamline and parabolic profile.
Molecules of first layer in contact with vessel wall don’t
move
Those of 2nd layer slide over 1st layer
Those of 3rd layer slides over 2nd and same way next
Laminar blood flow is silent.
Blood near the walls flows slower.
Blood in center flows faster.
Turbulent blood flow

 When the rate of blood flow becomes too great, when it

o Passes by an obstruction in the vessel
o Make a sharp turn
o Passes over a rough surface
 Flow becomes turbulent or blood flows crosswise in the vessel in
all directions forming whorls.
 Turbulent blood flow is audible and produces murmurs.
turbulent blood flow

o Stenosis of blood vessels: Narrowing of vessel

o Valvular defects
o Korotkoffs sounds
PRESSURE GRADIENT

 It is the pressure difference between two ends of a vessel that

drives the blood flow
 Blood flows from higher pressure to lower pressure.
 The greater the pressure gradient/difference greater will be the
rate of flow through vessel.
Pressures in different components of
circulation
 Aorta and larger arteries = 93
 Arterioles = 37
 Capillaries = 28
 Veins = 8-10
 Vena cava = 2- 4
 Right atrium = 0-2
Resistance

 It is the measurement of hindrance or opposition to blood flow

caused by friction between the moving fluid and stationery
vessel wall.
 When vessels offer more resistance to flow. the heart must work
harder to maintain adequate circulation.
Resistance to blood flow depends upon 3 factors:
 Viscosity
 Length of vessel
 Radius of vessel
Poiseuille equation

 The factors that determines the resistance of a blood vessel to blood flow are
expressed by an equation

R= 8ɳI / πr⁴
ɳ = viscosity I = length of vessel
r⁴ = fourth power of the radius
 increase the viscosity : increase in resistance
 Increase in vessel length : increase the resistance
 Radius of vessel: inversely proportional to the resistance
 R = 1/r⁴ resistance is inversely proportional to the fourth
power of the radius
 If we increases the radius 2 times the resistance will be decreased
by 16 times.
 Arterioles are major site for resistance.
Resistance to blood flow in series and in
parallel vascular circuit.
 Blood pumped by the heart flows from high pressure part (aorta)
to low pressure part ( vena cava) through many miles of blood
vessels arranged in parallel and series.
 Arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venules arrange in series, blood
flow through each vessel is same and total resistance is equal to
the sum of resistance of each vessel.
 Rmax= R1+R2+R3+R4……….
 Blood vessels branch extensively to form parallel
circulation to supply blood to the many organs and
tissues of the body.
 This parallel arrangement permits each tissue to regulate
its own blood flow.
 1/ R total = 1/R1+ 1/R2+1/R3………