Topic overview

Start with the big picture

Mean arterial pressure depends on cardiac output and total peripheral resistance, which are adjusted by rapid neural and slower hormonal mechanisms. The lesson introduces pressure-regulating reflexes, including the baroreceptor and chemoreceptor reflexes, the Bainbridge reflex, and responses associated with increased intracranial pressure. It then considers cardiovascular adjustments during exercise, hemorrhage, standing, and facial cold exposure. Special circulations—including pulmonary, coronary, cerebral, renal, skin, and splanchnic—illustrate how local and systemic controls shape blood flow. Together, these concepts provide a framework for understanding how cardiovascular regulation responds to changing physiological demands and supports perfusion across the body.