How Baroreceptors Stabilize Blood Pressure

If these sensors stopped working for 5 seconds, you’d hit the floor. Baroreceptors are

stretch receptors located mainly in the carotid sinus and the aortic arch. They detect how

much the blood vessel walls are stretching, which tells your brain what your blood pressure is.

When blood pressure rises, the vessels stretch more. Baroreceptors fire

more signals to the brainstem — specifically the medulla. The brain responds

by: Slowing heart rate Reducing cardiac output Dilating blood vessels

All of this brings blood pressure back down. When blood pressure drops,

the opposite happens. There’s less stretch, baroreceptors fire less, and the brain increases: