Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

My partner and I are performing an experiment that tests how age affects blood pressure. We were wondering how cells relate to blood pressure?

My partner and I are doing an experiment on blood pressure and were wondering how cells relate to it??

Hi,

That's an interesting question! What comes to mind is that high blood pressure causes the heart muscle to work harder. So this means in some way the cells are affected by their requirement of working harder. Or perhaps cells in the blood are also affected by the change in blood pressure. Does this answer your question?

Tonya

Hi, I answered you here - https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... 28&t=11764. Sorry about that delay!

Tonya

Yes, thank you so much. We were also wondering if cells could affect someones blood pressure and even cause high or low blood pressure?

-Sonya and Stephanie

HI, we were also wondering why the systolic number for blood pressure is so much higher than the diastolic number? Is it just because there is a greater amount of blood moving, or is there another reason??

-Sonya and Stephanie

Hi, well, blood pressure is caused sometimes by a higher than normal amount of blood traveling in the vessels (like during pregnancy). This higher volume of blood usually has both plasma and cell content, so yes, maybe you could say the cells indirectly contribute to high blood pressure. BUT if you look up the most common causes of high blood pressure, I don't think those are cellular, right?

As for the blood pressure numbers... I don't know. I suspect if you pour over that Wikipedia entry that is a mile long, the answer is in there. If not, let me know and I'll help you look into it. BUT there is a lot of info out there about blood pressure... I think the answer is out there

Good luck on your project!

ok thank you!!!!

so how are the results?
Here is an excellent bunch of articles on blood pressure
http://bloodpressureanswered.com/common ... ertension/