Haemodynamics and cardiovascular shock

Haemodynamics is the study of blood flow around the body. The factors influencing haemodynamics are complex and include cardiac output, circulating blood volume, vessel diameter, resistance and blood viscosity. These, in turn, are interlinked and affected by factors such as exercise, posture, disease, drugs and obesity. In this article we shall explore the physiology and control of blood flow and pressure in health, moving on then to look at what happens when control mechanisms break down, resulting in cardiovascular shock.