Venous reserve

Definition

Venous reserve is the volume of blood reserved in the venous system that can be mobilized, typically during exercise or hemorrhage, to maintain an adequate cardiac output. This mechanism ensures that the body can respond to sudden increases in demand for blood by tissues without causing a drop in blood pressure.

Related terms

Cardiac Output:

The volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute, crucial for maintaining blood flow to meet tissue demands.

Hemorrhage: Rapid loss of blood from the circulatory system, which can significantly impact cardiac output and pressure if not compensated by mechanisms such as utilizing the venous reserve.

Vasoconstriction:

The narrowing of blood vessels, which helps regulate blood pressure and flow; it plays a role in managing how much blood is stored in or released from the venous reserve