What Are the Causes of Autoregulation of Blood Pressure?

Autoregulation of blood pressure is the ability of an organ (such as the kidneys, brain and heart) to retain a constant blood pressure despite factors that may change flow of blood, either internally or externally.

Function

• Autoregulation occurs entirely within an organ and is not influenced by any hormones or neurons. Organs will automatically constrict or dilate blood vessels in order to stabilize the flow of blood back to healthy levels.

Cause

• Autoregulation is a response to external influences on an organ. Diseases are the most common cause of autoregulation, such as with hypertension, which is a condition of chronic high blood pressure. Autoregulation ensures that vital organs are not adversely affected by periods of high and low blood pressure.

Types

• All organs exhibit some form of autoregulations. However, vital organs that pump a large amount of blood and require a constant flow of oxygen, such as the brain and heart, display a much quicker rate of autoregulation than other organs, such as muscles in the arms and legs.