What are the 2 main determinants of blood pressure?

Answer 1

Determinants of blood pressure are:

Cardiac Output

and

Peripheral Vascular Resistance (or systemic vascular resistance)

There are other influencing factors but they are minor. See the wiki page on mean arterial pressure.

MAP = Cardiac Output X Systemic Vascular Resistance

(plus CVP but this is small and often disregarded).


There is a good section on the regulation of blood pressure in the wikipedia too:

Regulation

The endogenous regulation of blood pressure is not completely understood. Currently, three mechanisms of regulating blood pressure have been well-characterized:

* Baroreceptor reflex: Baroreceptors in various organs can detect changes in blood pressure, and adjust the mean arterial pressure by altering both the force and speed of the heart's contractions, as well as the total peripheral resistance.

* Renin-angiotensin system (RAS): This system is generally known for its long-term adjustment of blood pressure. This system allows the kidney to compensate for loss in blood volume or drops in blood pressure by activating an endogenous vasoconstrictor known as angiotensin II.

* Aldosterone release: This steroid hormone is released from the adrenal cortex in response to angiotensin II or high serum potassium levels. Aldosterone stimulates sodium retention and potassium excretion by the kidneys. Since sodium is the main ion that determines the amount of fluid in the blood vessels by osmosis, aldosterone will increase fluid retention, and indirectly, blood pressure.

These different mechanisms are not necessarily independent of each other, as indicated by the link between the RAS and aldosterone release. Currently, the RAS system is targeted pharmacologically by ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists. The aldosterone system is directly targeted by spironolactone, an aldosterone antagonist. The fluid retention may be targeted by diuretics; however, the antihypertensive effect of diuretics is not due to its effect on blood volume. Generally, the baroreceptor reflex is not targeted in hypertension because if blocked, individuals may suffer from orthostatic hypotension and fainting.

Answer 2

the first is called cardiac output, which is the amount of blood that your heart pumps in one minute. The second is called total peripheral resistance, which is the amount of resistance posed to the flow of blood along the entire blood vessels of the body

Answer 3

Cardiac output and blood volume

Answer 4

Systolic & diatolic--blood in~blood out of heart.

Answer 5

diastole and systole

Answer 6

diastole and systole