Question

A 52 year old man presents with black tarry stools and hypotension. an endoscopy is ordered and reveals a bleeding ulcer in the antrum of the stomach. baroreceptor-induced compensation for the mild hemorrhage will cause which of the following values to be lower than before the hemorrhage?

Answer 1

Answer: Venous capacitance

The decrease venous capacitance will increase preload due to increased total peripheral resistance. This fall in blood pressure and blood volume is produced by hemorrhage, which causes the baroreceptor reflex to escalate the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and decreases the activity of the parasympathetic nerves innervating the heart.