Question

Identify the factors affecting blood pressure.

Answer 1

Blood pressure is the lateral pressure exerted by the blood column on the wall of the vessels.

Five factors influence blood pressure:-  

- Cardiac output: Increased Cardiac output pups more blood into the systemic vessels increasing the blood pressure

- Peripheral vascular resistance: Increased peripheral vascular resistance resists flow of the blood into the vessels thereby increasing the blood pressure.

- Volume of circulating blood: Higher the volume of the blood, more will the blood exert pressure on the wall of the vessels resulting in increase in blood pressure

- The viscosity of blood: Higher the viscosity of the blood, more will be the resistance to blood flow and more will be the blood pressure.

- Elasticity of vessels walls: More elastic blood vessel bears more pressure by their remolding capacity and hence less pressure is felt by the wall.