Final answer:
Factors that increase blood pressure involve genetics, lifestyle choices, and environmental stressors, while decreased sodium intake can lower it. Key variables such as blood volume and contractility affect arterial blood pressure and flow. Factors like venous tone and the skeletal muscle pump influence venous blood flow.
Step-by-step explanation:
Factors Affecting Blood Pressure
There are various factors associated with either increasing blood pressure or decreasing blood pressure. Primary high blood pressure, which constitutes at least 90% of cases, is influenced by a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors. Lifestyle factors such as excess dietary salt, higher alcohol consumption, and exposure to stressors like job strain, marital conflict, and even exposure to high traffic noise have been linked to increased blood pressure. Conversely, other factors like reducing sodium intake (decreased Na+ levels) can lead to decreased blood pressure.
Discussing arterial blood flow and blood pressure, five key variables include blood volume, heart contractility, stroke volume, cardiac output, and vascular resistance. Higher blood volume and positive factors affecting heart contractility generally increase blood pressure and flow. Factors affecting stroke volume and cardiac output, such as changes in preload, afterload, or heart rate, also significantly impact blood pressure.
Variables Affecting Venous Blood Flow
Several factors affecting blood flow in the venous system include venous tone, skeletal muscle pump, respiratory pump, and volume of circulating blood.