Navigation » List of Schools, Subjects, and Courses » Physiology 001 – Introduction to Human Physiology » Discussions » Discussion Topic 3: Cardiovascular System » Discussion Topic 3: Cardiovascular System Sample Answers
Discussion Topic 3: Cardiovascular System
Clinical Case: ER Trauma – Hemorrhage
During your clinical rotation in the ER, a patient in a car accident arrives and is experiencing hemorrhaging from injuries sustained during the accident. From your studies of cardiovascular physiology, you know that hemorrhage is a serious, life-threatening situation for a patient due to its impact on MAP.
Discuss the following:
a. Beginning with your understanding that MAP = CO x TPR, which variable in this formula is directly decreased by the loss of blood during a hemorrhage? Remember that this variable is the direct reason why MAP decreases.
b. For the variable from part B, discuss the mechanism (list the steps with bullet points) which leads to the decreased MAP.
c. Reflex Arc: Compensatory mechanisms – discuss the body’s reflex compensatory mechanisms for the following MAP components which are initiated to try and keep MAP from decreasing any further: (*remember: identify the effector(s), inputs, and responses)
(i) CO: HR
(ii) CO: SV
(iii) TPR
Discussion Topic 3: Cardiovascular System Answer
- When the person hemorrhages, the variable that is most affected is the Strove Volume. This is because there is a general decrease in the blood volume, which eventually translates into a decrease in stroke volume.