ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews some knowledge about the operative mechanisms of cardiovascular control and examines the physiology and pharmacology of spontaneous and experimental hypertension. Environmental stressors also provoke a predictable pattern of endocrine responses, which may contribute to the continued cardiovascular effects from an acute stressor. The mechanisms of cardiovascular regulation can be conveniently grouped into two categories, local and remote control. The cardiovascular system consists of the heart, the blood vessels, and the lymphatics. In either case, the consequences of continuous elevated pressures are real since patients are associated with cerebrovascular accidents, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, and renal damage. The heart rate and the contractile properties of the heart are neuro-genically controlled by both parasympathetic vagal and sympathetic influences. The heart and skeletal muscle in exercise extract about 70% of the oxygen they receive, while the skin, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract receive disproportionate blood flow for their oxygen consumption.
