The Resistance to Blood Flow of the Entire Cardiovascular System

Question

The resistance to blood flow of the entire cardiovascular system is known as
A) severe combined constriction.
B) vasomotion.
C) vasoconstriction.
D) total peripheral resistance.
E) systemic resistance.

Accepted Answer

Total peripheral resistance (TPR) is the resistance to blood flow of the entire cardiovascular system, including systemic arterioles, capillaries, and veins. TPR plays a significant role in regulating blood pressure and is affected by factors such as vessel diameter, vessel length, and blood viscosity. Severe combined constriction, vasomotion, and vasoconstriction are all terms that describe changes in vessel diameter, but they do not reflect the entire resistance of the cardiovascular system as TPR does. Systemic resistance is an alternative term for TPR.