The Remarkable Cardiovascular System of Giraffes
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The Remarkable Cardiovascular System of Giraffes. / Aalkjaeligr, Christian; Wang, Tobias.
In: Annual Review of Physiology, Vol. 83, 2021, p. 1-15.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - The Remarkable Cardiovascular System of Giraffes
AU - Aalkjaeligr, Christian
AU - Wang, Tobias
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Annual Reviews Inc.. All rights reserved.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Gravity affects the physiology of many animals, and the effect is, for good reason, most pronounced in tall species. The physiologymdashin particular, cardiovascular functionmdashof giraffes has therefore captivated the interest of physiologists for centuries. Several studies document high mean arterial blood pressure of giraffes of about 200 mm Hg. This appears necessary to establish a cerebral perfusion pressure on the order of 100 mm Hg at the cranial end of the carotid arteries. Here, we discuss the unique characteristics of blood vessels, the heart, and the kidney of giraffes and how these functional and structural adaptations are related to very high blood pressure. We also discuss how the cerebral circulation of giraffes is established and what we know about how the blood flow and arterial and venous pressures in giraffes change when they stop to drink and subsequently lift their heads 5-6 m in one sweeping movement.
AB - Gravity affects the physiology of many animals, and the effect is, for good reason, most pronounced in tall species. The physiologymdashin particular, cardiovascular functionmdashof giraffes has therefore captivated the interest of physiologists for centuries. Several studies document high mean arterial blood pressure of giraffes of about 200 mm Hg. This appears necessary to establish a cerebral perfusion pressure on the order of 100 mm Hg at the cranial end of the carotid arteries. Here, we discuss the unique characteristics of blood vessels, the heart, and the kidney of giraffes and how these functional and structural adaptations are related to very high blood pressure. We also discuss how the cerebral circulation of giraffes is established and what we know about how the blood flow and arterial and venous pressures in giraffes change when they stop to drink and subsequently lift their heads 5-6 m in one sweeping movement.
KW - arteries
KW - blood pressure
KW - brain
KW - gravity
KW - heart
KW - kidney
U2 - 10.1146/annurev-physiol-031620-094629
DO - 10.1146/annurev-physiol-031620-094629
M3 - Review
C2 - 33167747
AN - SCOPUS:85100514082
VL - 83
SP - 1
EP - 15
JO - Annual Review of Physiology
JF - Annual Review of Physiology
SN - 0066-4278
ER -
ID: 279636024