Chapter 21: Cardiovascular System – Peripheral Circulation and
Regulation
This chapter explains blood vessels, how blood moves through the
body, and how the body controls blood pressure and blood flow.
The cardiovascular system includes:
the heart
the blood
the blood vessels
Its main job is to transport oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and waste
products throughout the body.
Peripheral Circulatory System
The Peripheral Circulatory System refers to all the blood vessels
outside the heart.
There are two main circuits:
Systemic circulation
blood moves from the left ventricle
goes to the entire body
returns to the right atrium
Pulmonary circulation
blood moves from the right ventricle
goes to the lungs
returns to the left atrium
These systems work together to make sure the body gets enough oxygen
and nutrients.
Types of Blood Vessels
There are three main types of blood vessels.
Arteries
Arteries carry blood away from the heart.
Features:
thick muscular walls
strong and elastic
handle high blood pressure
Example: aorta
Capillaries
Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels.
Functions:
allow exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and wastes
connect arterioles to venules
Their walls are very thin, which allows substances to move easily between
blood and tissues.
Veins
Veins carry blood back to the heart.
Features:
thinner walls
contain valves to prevent backflow
operate under low pressure
Example: vena cava
Blood Flow Through Vessels
Blood moves through vessels in this order:
Arteries → Arterioles → Capillaries → Venules → Veins
Important points:
arterioles control blood flow into capillaries
capillaries are where most exchange occurs
veins return blood to the heart.
Capillary Exchange
Capillaries allow substances to move between blood and tissues.
Three main processes:
Diffusion
Movement of substances from high concentration to low concentration.
Example:
oxygen moves into tissues
carbon dioxide moves into blood
Filtration
Fluid moves out of capillaries due to blood pressure.
Reabsorption
Fluid moves back into capillaries because of osmotic pressure.
Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the force that blood pushes against the walls of arteries.
It depends on:
heart pumping strength
blood volume
resistance in blood vessels
Blood pressure is necessary to move blood through the body.
Factors Affecting Blood Flow
Blood flow depends on three main things:
1. Pressure
Blood moves from high pressure → low pressure.
2. Resistance
Resistance increases when:
blood vessels are narrow
blood is thicker
3. Vessel diameter
If vessels widen (vasodilation) → blood flow increases
If vessels narrow (vasoconstriction) → blood flow decreases
Regulation of Blood Flow
The body carefully controls blood flow to meet the needs of tissues.
Three main control mechanisms:
Autoregulation
Autoregulation means tissues control their own blood supply.
Example:
When oxygen levels are low, blood vessels dilate to increase blood flow.
Neural Regulation
The nervous system controls blood vessel diameter.
The sympathetic nervous system can cause:
vasoconstriction
increased blood pressure
Endocrine Regulation
Hormones also affect blood pressure.
Example:
Renin–Angiotensin System
When blood pressure is low:
1. kidneys release renin
2. renin forms angiotensin I
3. converted to angiotensin II
4. causes vasoconstriction and fluid retention
This increases blood pressure.
Venous Return
Venous return means blood returning to the heart through veins.
It is helped by:
skeletal muscle pump
breathing movements
venous valves
These help push blood toward the heart.
Changes in the Cardiovascular System
Aging effects
As people age:
blood vessels become less elastic
calcium deposits may form
blood flow may decrease.
These changes increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases.