Increased pulmonary artery ______ to blood flow leads to elevated pulmonary artery ______.

Prepare for your CVP and GI Pathology Exam. Study using flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations to excel in your test.

In circulation, pressure in a vessel follows the idea that pressure equals flow times resistance. If the resistance to blood flow in the pulmonary arteries increases while the amount of blood trying to pass (flow) remains the same, the pressure inside the pulmonary artery rises. That’s why higher pulmonary vascular resistance leads to elevated pulmonary arterial pressure, which is a hallmark of pulmonary hypertension and places a greater afterload on the right heart. The other terms don’t fit this direct relationship: perfusion relates to delivering blood to tissues, not the pressure in the pulmonary artery; compliance reflects how stretchy or distensible the vessel is and higher compliance would tend to lower pressure for a given flow; velocity and volume don’t describe the resistor–pressure link used here.