ABSTRACT
In a global sense, one can think of the human cardiovascular system-using an electrical analogy-as a voltage source, two capacitors, and a resistor. Blood flow and the dynamics of the system represent electrical inductance, and useful engineering approximations can be derived from such a simple model. Within the generalized prioritization scheme, control of the cardiovascular function is accomplished by mechanisms that are based either on the inherent physicochemical attributes of the tissues and organs themselves-the so-called intrinsic control-or on responses that can be attributed to the effects on cardiovascular tissues of other organ systems in the body —the so-called extrinsic control. In a broader sense, as the organism strives to maintain life, it coordinates a wide variety of different functions, and central to its ability to do just that is the role played by the cardiovascular system in transporting mass, energy, and momentum.
