Page 58 - Consciousness in the Cell

CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE CELL

WHAT GOES ON IN YOUR BODY WHEN YOUR

BLOOD PRESSURE DROPS?

In our daily lives, frequently we hear people complain, "My
blood pressure's too low" or, "I've got high blood pressure." Very
few of them are even aware that regulating their blood pressure is
the duty of the kidneys.
Aside from many other bodily functions, the kidneys have also
taken up the task of adjusting blood pressure or tension. In deter-
mining blood pressure, the most important factor is the amount of
fluid in the blood vessels. Along with any increase of fluid in the
veins and arteries, blood pressure increases—thereby causing
long-term harm to all organs in the body. Hypertension—that is,
an increase in the amount of fluid in the blood vessels poses a dan-
gerous situation for human beings. If measures are not taken,
death will result.
The body's able to sense an increase in fluid in the blood ves-
sels, thanks to receptors located in the front chambers of the heart.
The heart stretches when a large amount of fluid enters it and, in
response to this, receptors send a signal to the brain, which
responds by causing the renal arteries to increase their filtering
action. An increase in blood pressure causes the heart to stretch
even more. With this stretching, the muscle fibers are extended,
releasing messenger molecules trapped within them, which then
enter the bloodstream.
This "message" thus reaches the kidneys through the circula-
tion. In response, the amount of fluid excreted from the body
increases. In this way, blood pressure returns to normal, and the
heart can resume its normal beating.
The kidneys' duty in regulating blood pressure doesn't end
there. In circumstances where the blood pressure is too low, an

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