HTN Defininitions for the Quiz

For all you slackers :)

Neurohumoral:The heart and vasculature are regulated, in part, by neural (autonomic) and humoral (circulating or hormonal) factors. Neural mechanisms primarily involve sympathetic adrenergic and parasympathetic cholinergic branches of the autonomic nervous system. In general, the sympathetic system stimulates the heart and constricts blood vessels resulting in a rise in arterial pressure. The parasympathetic system depresses cardiac function and dilates selected vascular bed. There are several very important humoral mechanisms including circulating catecholamines, the renin-angiotensin system, vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone), atrial natriuretic peptide, and endothelin. Each of these humoral systems directly or indirectly alter cardiac function, vascular function, and arterial pressure.

http://www.cvphysiology.com/Blood%20Pressure/BP007.htm

Essential HTN: The cause of the HTN is unknown by Dr.'s

White-coat HTN: The person's BP is normal when taken at home but increases in a clinical setting. This is thought to be brought on by anxiety of "white-coats" or hospital settings.

Ambulatory: Having to do with walking or moving about.

normotensive: having normal blood pressure

Regression analysis: I'm not touching this one. I'm going to let you look it up on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regression_analysis

Systemic Vascular Resistance: resistance, offered by the peripheral circulation, to flow that must be overcome to push blood through the circulatory system.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vascular_resistance

attenuate: reduce