Splanchnic Circulation Overview

A condition where the heart is unable to pump blood effectively to meet the body's needs.

A group of diseases that weaken the heart muscle, making it less efficient at pumping blood. Examples include coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, and valve disease.

A condition where the right ventricle of the heart is weakened, leading to increased pressure in the pulmonary arteries.

A process where the body attempts to compensate for heart failure. This involves mechanisms like increased heart rate, vasoconstriction, and fluid retention.

The accumulation of excess fluid in the tissues, often in the legs and feet, caused by inadequate heart function.

The activation of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS) in heart failure leads to increased fluid retention, which contributes to peripheral edema.

Left-sided heart failure causes increased pressure in the pulmonary veins, leading to fluid buildup in the lungs, causing shortness of breath and coughing.

A network of vessels and nodes that collect and transport lymph fluid throughout the body. These channels are particularly abundant in the lungs.

The splanchnic circulation encompasses the blood supply to the digestive organs: stomach, small intestine, colon, pancreas, liver, and spleen. These organs are connected in parallel, allowing for independent blood flow regulation.

The celiac, superior mesenteric, and inferior mesenteric arteries are the three main arteries supplying the splanchnic organs. These arteries branch into smaller arteries that form a network, ensuring blood flow even if one artery is blocked.

Intramural circulation refers to the network of blood vessels within the walls of splanchnic organs. This allows for localized blood flow adjustments based on the organ's needs.

The splanchnic circulation is influenced by both external factors like nervous system commands and hormones, and internal factors such as local metabolites, intrinsic nerves, and hormones.

Autoregulation ensures constant blood flow to splanchnic organs even when blood pressure fluctuates. This happens through changes in vessel diameter. Neurogenic and humoral regulation involve nervous system signals and hormones, respectively, to adjust blood flow.

The pulmonary circulation delivers deoxygenated blood to the lungs for oxygenation. The bronchial circulation, a smaller system, supplies oxygen and nutrients to the lung tissues itself.

The bronchial arteries, part of the systemic circulation, supply the airways, pleura, and lymph nodes. Their blood eventually drains into the azygos vein.

The pulmonary arteries follow the branching of the bronchi, supplying areas for gas exchange. Pulmonary veins, however, take a different route back to the heart.