Venous function is controlled, at least in part, via the arterial baroreceptor reflexes.
However, cardiac reflex control of veins has received comparatively little study. Cardiac vagal afferent pathways may cause venodilation and a reduction in cardiac filling. Moreover, changes in venous tone are involved in the cardiovascular responses to coronary ischemia, congestive heart failure and myocardial infarction. Thus, cardiac reflex control of venous tone may play an important role in cardiovascular homeostasis. In addition, estrogen is thought to exert cardioprotective effects at least in part via direct effects on vascular smooth muscle, via potentiation of the nitric oxide system, via interaction with cardiovascular reflexes or via effects in the central nervous system.