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The Circulatory System and Fluid Dynamics Essay

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1. Conductive arteries – Conductive arteries are the most proximal compartment of the coronary arterial system. Their diameter is generally ranging from 500 μm up to 2-5 mm. These are large epicardial coronary arteries that work as a capacitance function for the blood flow. They have very low resistance to blood flow and therefore, the pressure drop along the length of conductive arteries is negligible. The conductive arteries have an inbuilt characteristic of maintaining the shear stress by changing epicardial dilatation. This characteristic is called being responsive to flow-dependent dilatation. They are not very responsive to intravascular pressure or metabolites. [1]

Prearterioles – Prearterioles are the intermediate compartment to …show more content…

This would help to maintain a constant pressure at the origin of the arterioles. The entire process is vasodilatory in nature and takes places due to the release of vasodilators. Nitric Oxide (NO) is one of the most common vasoactive substances. They are released by the endothelium as a response to the shear stress changes in the coronary arteries. Since the entire process is about automatic dilatation of the coronary arteries and proximal arterioles in response to changes in pressure, it is called as endothelial-dependent dilatation. [1][4][5]

3. The arterioles are very responsive to the changes in the concentration of metabolites released by the myocardium, unlike the conductance arteries and the prearterioles. Arterioles play a key role in regulating the blood flow across it and also maintaining the metabolic balance. The arterioles remain very relaxed and balanced i.e. they have a good resting tone. When the myocardium releases metabolites, there is an increase in the oxygen consumption by the metabolites. As a result of this, the arterioles dilate and decrease the resistance of blood flow in the entire network. This in turn decreases the pressure in distal prearterioles. Thus, the vessels dilate. As the distal prearterioles and the arterioles dilate, the shear stress in the larger prearterioles and conductance arteries increases. Thus,

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