Question

Why does blood pressure in the body decease the farther away it is from the arteries to veins if there is vascular resistance.

Answer 1

Blood flows in the same direction as the decreasing pressure gradient: arteries to capillaries to veins. In blood vessels, most of the resistance is due to vessel diameter. As vessel diameter decreases, the resistance increases and blood flow decreases.

The variables affecting blood flow and blood pressure in the systemic circulation are cardiac output, compliance, blood volume, blood viscosity, and the length and diameter of the blood vessels.

In the arterial system, as resistance increases, blood pressure increases and flow decreases. In the venous system, constriction increases blood pressure as it does in arteries; the increasing pressure helps to return blood to the heart.