ARTERIES

Are specialized to serve as rapid-transit passageways for blood

from the heart to the organs (because of the large radius,
arteries offer little resistance to blood flow)
Act as a pressure reservoir to provide the driving force for blood
when the heart is relaxing
o Arterial connective tissue contains
Collage fibres provide tensile strength
Elastin fibres provide elasticity to arterial walls

Describe the systolic and diastolic pressures and the concept

of mean arterial pressure. Know the structural and functional
properties of arteries
Blood pressure depends on the volume of blood contained within the
vessel and the dispensability of the vessel walls (how easily they can
be stretched)
SYSTOLIC PRESSURE (heart contracting and emptying)
- During ventricular systole pressure builds up in the left ventricle.
When pressure in the left ventricle exceeds that of the aorta, the
semilunar valve opens. The aorta and arteries expand and sore
pressure in elastic walls
- The stroke volume of blood enters the arteries from the ventricle,
while only about one third as much blood leaves the arteries to
enter the arterioles (to go to the capillaries)
- The maximum pressure exerted in the arteries when blood is
ejected into them during systole, the systolic pressure, averages

120mg.
DIASTOLIC PRESSURE (heart relaxing and filling)
- During diastole, pressure the semilunar valve shuts, preventing
flow back into the ventricle. Elastic recoil of arteries sends blood
forward into the rest of the circulatory system

No blood enters the arteries, while blood continues to leave

them, driven by elastic recoil
The minimum pressure within the arteries when blood is draining
off into the rest of the vessels during diastole, the diastolic
pressure, averages 80mmHg.

Graph the pressure changes across the vascular tree

- Blood pressure can be measured indirectly using a
sphygmomanometer
The sounds heart when determining blood pressure are distinct
from heart sounds associated with valve closing

1. When cuff pressure is greater than 120mmHg and exceeds blood

pressure through the cardiac cycle
a. No blood flows through the vessel
b. No sound is heard because no flow
2. When cuff is between 120 and 80 mmHg

a. Blood flow through the vessel is turbulent whenever blood

pressure exceeds cuff pressure
b. The first sound is head at peak systolic pressure
c. Intermittent sounds are heard because of turbulent spurts
of flow as blood pressure cyclically exceeds cuff pressure
3. When cuff pressure is less than 80mmHg and is below blood
pressure throughout the cardiac cycle
a. The last sound heart is at minimum diastolic pressure
b. No sound is heard thereafter because of uninterrupted,
smooth flow

The

pulse
pressure

is the difference between systolic and diastolic pressure.

- Proportional to the strength of ventricular contraction
- Magnitude determined by stroke volume and dispensability of
the arteries
The mean pressure is the average pressure throughout the cardiac
cycle.
- Diastolic pressure + (1/3) pulse pressure
- Regulating mean arterial pressure (MAP) not pulse pressure
allows maintenance of continuous blood flow throughout the
cardiovascular system