Why do blood vessels in the body need to be elastic?

1 Answer
Apr 2, 2016

Blood vessels need to be elastic to facilitate blood flow through blood pressure regulation.

Explanation:

Think of the blood vessels as a self pressurizing garden hose. The blood vessels are dilated or constricted with the help of the vasopressin hormone which is secreted from the pituitary gland. The normal blood pressure in adults is 110/70 mmHg and the blood pressure will facilitate the movement of the blood to the entire body of the animal. That is why having a high blood pressure is still acceptable compared to having a really low one like 70/50 because if the blood pressure is too low, the blood may not reach the brain and will result in the loss of consciousness and possibly death. This is one of the ways dengue fever kills a person.