Final answer:
The autonomic nervous system controls heart rate and blood pressure. Heart rate is regulated by cardioaccelerator nerves, while blood pressure is regulated by smooth muscle in blood vessels.
Step-by-step explanation:
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls several processes of cardiac function. Two processes that are controlled by the ANS are heart rate and blood pressure. These processes are regulated by sympathetic and parasympathetic stimulation from the ANS.
1. Heart Rate: The ANS influences heart rate through the cardioaccelerator nerves, which stimulate heart activity via sympathetic stimulation. The ANS also includes the cardioinhibitory centers, which decrease heart rate via parasympathetic stimulation from the vagus nerve.
2. Blood Pressure: The ANS regulates blood pressure by controlling the contraction of smooth muscle in the walls of blood vessels. This is predominantly under sympathetic control, as the sympathetic system determines the tone of systemic blood vessels.