MEDizzy - Under control conditions, flow through a blood vessel is 100

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The Circulation (I)

Under control conditions, flow through a blood vessel is 100 ml/min with a pressure gradient of 50 mm Hg. What would be the approximate flow through the vessel after increasing the vessel diameter by 50%, assuming that the pressure gradient is maintained at 100 mm Hg?

ExplanationBlood flow in a vessel is directly proportional to the fourth power of the vessel radius. Increasing vessel diameter by 50% (1.5 × control) would increase blood flow by 1.5 to the fourth power × normal blood flow (100 ml/min). Thus, blood flow would increase to 100 ml/min × 5.06, or approximately 500 ml/min.