Biomaterial Database

Mechanisms of heart rate and arterial blood pressure control: implications for the pathophysiology of neurocardiogenic syncope. 1997

K J Quan, and M D Carlson, and M D Thames

Division of Cardiology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, OH 44106-5038, USA.

Neurocardiogenic syncope is a general term that describes syncope resulting from altered autonomic activity, as manifested by abnormal regulation of peripheral vascular resistance and heart rate. Although there has been great interest in the contribution of heart rate to this form of syncope, the peripheral circulation plays the dominant role in the induction of neurocardiogenic syncope in most patients. We review in this brief article the physiology of cardiovascular reflexes, which are important for short-term arterial pressure control, and their potential contribution to the pathophysiology of neurocardiogenic syncope. This type of syncope represents a profound failure of the normal mechanisms for short-term regulation of arterial pressure. Any therapeutic strategies for the management of neurocardiogenic syncope must deal with alterations in vascular control, which contribute to its pathogenesis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011311	Pressoreceptors	Receptors in the vascular system, particularly the aorta and carotid sinus, which are sensitive to stretch of the vessel walls.	Baroreceptors,Receptors, Stretch, Arterial,Receptors, Stretch, Vascular,Stretch Receptors, Arterial,Stretch Receptors, Vascular,Arterial Stretch Receptor,Arterial Stretch Receptors,Baroreceptor,Pressoreceptor,Receptor, Arterial Stretch,Receptor, Vascular Stretch,Receptors, Arterial Stretch,Receptors, Vascular Stretch,Stretch Receptor, Arterial,Stretch Receptor, Vascular,Vascular Stretch Receptor,Vascular Stretch Receptors
D012018	Reflex	An involuntary movement or exercise of function in a part, excited in response to a stimulus applied to the periphery and transmitted to the brain or spinal cord.
D001775	Blood Circulation	The movement of the BLOOD as it is pumped through the CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM.	Blood Flow,Circulation, Blood,Blood Flows,Flow, Blood
D001794	Blood Pressure	PRESSURE of the BLOOD on the ARTERIES and other BLOOD VESSELS.	Systolic Pressure,Diastolic Pressure,Pulse Pressure,Pressure, Blood,Pressure, Diastolic,Pressure, Pulse,Pressure, Systolic,Pressures, Systolic
D002346	Carotid Sinus	The dilated portion of the common carotid artery at its bifurcation into external and internal carotids. It contains baroreceptors which, when stimulated, cause slowing of the heart, vasodilatation, and a fall in blood pressure.	Sinus, Carotid
D006339	Heart Rate	The number of times the HEART VENTRICLES contract per unit of time, usually per minute.	Cardiac Rate,Chronotropism, Cardiac,Heart Rate Control,Heartbeat,Pulse Rate,Cardiac Chronotropy,Cardiac Chronotropism,Cardiac Rates,Chronotropy, Cardiac,Control, Heart Rate,Heart Rates,Heartbeats,Pulse Rates,Rate Control, Heart,Rate, Cardiac,Rate, Heart,Rate, Pulse
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001341	Autonomic Nervous System	The ENTERIC NERVOUS SYSTEM; PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM; and SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM taken together. Generally speaking, the autonomic nervous system regulates the internal environment during both peaceful activity and physical or emotional stress. Autonomic activity is controlled and integrated by the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, especially the HYPOTHALAMUS and the SOLITARY NUCLEUS, which receive information relayed from VISCERAL AFFERENTS.	Vegetative Nervous System,Visceral Nervous System,Autonomic Nervous Systems,Nervous System, Autonomic,Nervous System, Vegetative,Nervous System, Visceral,Nervous Systems, Autonomic,Nervous Systems, Vegetative,Nervous Systems, Visceral,System, Autonomic Nervous,System, Vegetative Nervous,System, Visceral Nervous,Systems, Autonomic Nervous,Systems, Vegetative Nervous,Systems, Visceral Nervous,Vegetative Nervous Systems,Visceral Nervous Systems
D014630	Vagus Nerve	The 10th cranial nerve. The vagus is a mixed nerve which contains somatic afferents (from skin in back of the ear and the external auditory meatus), visceral afferents (from the pharynx, larynx, thorax, and abdomen), parasympathetic efferents (to the thorax and abdomen), and efferents to striated muscle (of the larynx and pharynx).	Cranial Nerve X,Pneumogastric Nerve,Tenth Cranial Nerve,Nerve X,Nervus Vagus,Cranial Nerve, Tenth,Cranial Nerves, Tenth,Nerve X, Cranial,Nerve Xs,Nerve, Pneumogastric,Nerve, Tenth Cranial,Nerve, Vagus,Nerves, Pneumogastric,Nerves, Tenth Cranial,Nerves, Vagus,Pneumogastric Nerves,Tenth Cranial Nerves,Vagus Nerves,Vagus, Nervus
D014655	Vascular Resistance	The force that opposes the flow of BLOOD through a vascular bed. It is equal to the difference in BLOOD PRESSURE across the vascular bed divided by the CARDIAC OUTPUT.	Peripheral Resistance,Total Peripheral Resistance,Pulmonary Vascular Resistance,Systemic Vascular Resistance,Peripheral Resistance, Total,Resistance, Peripheral,Resistance, Pulmonary Vascular,Resistance, Systemic Vascular,Resistance, Total Peripheral,Resistance, Vascular,Vascular Resistance, Pulmonary,Vascular Resistance, Systemic