MadSci Network: General Biology
Query:

Re: What is the Bainbridge Reflex?

Date: Sat Sep 22 09:52:08 2001
Posted By: Robert Schier, M.D., Radiology, Pacific Imaging Consultants
Area of science: General Biology
ID: 1000062489.Gb
Message:

The Bainbridge Reflex is one of the ways by which the heart keeps blood 
flowing properly. It is important that the amount of arterial blood being 
pumped out of the heart to the body equals the amount of venous returning 
to the heart from the body. When this does not happen -- when, for 
example, the left side of the heart fails because of heart disease -- the 
arterial output drops and blood backs up in the lungs and on the venous 
side of the heart.

The first chamber of the heart which returning venous blood enters is the 
right atrium. If the inflow of venous blood increases, it will enter and 
distend the right atrium more. Stretch receptors in the wall of the right 
atrium detect this increased stretching and send signals reporting this to 
the brain. The brain sends instructions back to the heart causing the 
heart rate to increase. This increases the output of the heart and 
decreases the amount of blood in the right atrium. This increase in right 
atrial stretching (that is, increased venous return) leading to increased 
heart rate (that is, increased  arterial output) is called the Bainbridge 
Reflex.


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