CARDIOVASCULAR

REGULATION
 Homeostatic mechanisms
regulate cardiovascular ac­tivity
to ensure that tissue perfusion,
or blood flow through tissues,
meets the demand for oxygen
and nu­trients.
 The three variable factors are:
(1) Cardiac out­put,
 (2) peripheral resistance, and
 (3) blood pressure.
 The goal of cardiovascular
regulation is to ensure that these
blood flow changes occur
 (1) at an appropriate time,
 (2) in the right area, and
 (3) without drastically changing
blood pressure and blood flow to
vital organs.
 Factors involved in the
regulation of cardiovascular
function include
n local factors,
n neural mechanisms, and
n endocrine mechanisms.
 A. Local factors: Local factors
change the pattern of blood flow
within capillary beds in response to
chemical changes in interstitial fluids.
Autoregulation occurs at the tissue
level when each tissue controls the
amount of its blood supply according
to its need through controlling the
tone of the blood vessel supplying it.
If autoregulation fails to normalize
conditions at the tis­sue level, neural
mechanisms and endocrine factors
are activated.
 B. Neural mechanisms.
 Neural mechanisms respond to
changes in arterial pressure or
blood gas levels at spe­cific
sites. When those changes
occur, the cardiovascu­lar
centers of the autonomic
nervous system adjust cardiac
output and peripheral resistance
to maintain blood pressure and
ensure adequate blood flow.
 C. Endocrine mechanisms.
The endocrine system releases
hormones that enhance short­
term adjustments and direct
long­term changes in
cardiovascular performance.