Sympathetic: Vasodilation or vasoconstriction?

[lemonade123]

I'm getting a littl confused. Can someone just clear this up for me? When the sympathetic nervous system kicks in, generally, vasoconstriction is promoted right (increased heart rate and bp, less blood flow to digestive organs and tissues)? But regarding smooth and skeletal muscle--does vasodilation occur so that the skeletal muscles receive more blood? And vasoconstriction is directed toward smooth muscles?

Thanks!

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[richkaj]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=804174

This explains I believe all you need. Sympathetic response activates the flight or fight response, constricting blood vessels that do not need the oxygen and dialating those that do need it, i.e. leg muscles while running. Hope this helps... Please correct me if I am wrong, anyone...

 

[shaboobly]

you need to determine what each system controls and what hormones are secreted in the response and what they do to target tissues. when sympathetic is activated, everything under "rest and digest" is inhibited because it would be a waste of oxygen to the parts that really need to "fight or flight", as in skeletal muscle, heart, brain, anything that you can associate to fighting.