Cardiologie clinique et expérimentale
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Effects of Vasodilation and Arterial Resistance on Cardiac Output

Aliya Siddiqui

Heart is one of the most important organs present in human body which pumps blood throughout the body using blood vessels. With each heartbeat, blood is sent throughout the body, carrying oxygen and nutrients to all the cells in body. The cardiac cycle is the sequence of events that occurs when the heart beats. Blood pressure is maximum during systole, when the heart is pushing and minimum during diastole, when the heart is relaxed. Vasodilation caused by relaxation of smooth muscle cells in arteries causes an increase in blood flow. When blood vessels dilate, the blood flow is increased due to a decrease in vascular resistance. Therefore, dilation of arteries and arterioles leads to an immediate decrease in arterial blood pressure and heart rate. Cardiac output is the amount of blood ejected by the left ventricle in one minute. Cardiac output (CO) is the volume of blood being pumped by the heart, by left ventricle in the time interval of one minute. The effects of vasodilation, how the blood quantity increases and decreases along with the blood flow and the arterial blood flow and resistance on cardiac output is discussed in this review Article.