Anatomy of the CV system 1 Flashcards by Amirah Bouzgarrou

What is the primary function of the heart?

Pump

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What is the primary function of the arteries?

Distribute blood from the heart

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What is the primary function of the veins?

Collect and return blood to the heart

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What is the primary function of the lymphatics?

Drain excess extracellular fluid from tissues

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Where is the heart located?

Middle mediastinum

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Where are the blood vessels located?

Everywhere but cartilage

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Where is the lymphatic system located?

Everywhere but the brain and the eye

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What are the 2 main circulations?

Pulmonary

- Systemic

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Where is the pulmonary circulation located?

Heart- lungs- heart

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Where is the systemic circulation located?

Heart- body- heart

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What 2 other systems are involved inn the transport of materials?

Hepatic portal circulation

- Lymphatic system

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What forms the base of the heart posteriorly?

Left ventricle

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What is embedded in the fat found on the heart?

Blood vessels

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What do blocked coronary arteries cause?

Myocardial infarctions

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What are the veins embedded in the fat called?

Cardiac veins

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What are the arteries embedded in the fat called?

Coronary arteries

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What is the coronary sinus?

A venous channel

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Mediastinum

Area of thoracic cavity between pleural sacs

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What does the superior mediastinum lie above?

Sternomanubrial joint

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Where is the inferior mediastinum found?

Starts at T4

- Goes down to the diaphragm

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What are the 3 divisions of the inferior mediastinum?

Anterior
Middle
Posterior

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What gland is present in children but absent in adults?

Thymus

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On CXRs what is the aortic knuckle?

Aortic arch

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What is the surface anatomy of the apex of the heart?

5th left intercostal space in the midclavicular line

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How does breathing affect the position of the apex of the heart?

It moves it up and down

Why does the position of the heart change depending on whether you are standing up or lying down?

Gravity

How does the position of the heart in a child compare to that of the adult?

It is higher and more horizontal

What lies anterior to the heart?

- Sternum and costal cartilages 4-7 - Thymic remnants - Lungs and pleurae

What lies posterior to the heart?

- Oesophagus - Descending aorta - Thoracic vertebrae 5-8

What lies lateral to the heart?

- Lungs | - Phrenic nerves

What lies inferior to the lungs?

Central tendon of the diaphragm

What is the vertebral level of the sternal angle?

What nerve supplies the pericardium?

Phrenic nerve

What are the 3 layers of the heart wall?

- Endocardium - Myocardium - Epicardium

What is the endocardium composed of?

- Epithelium - Basement membrane - Connective tissue

What is the myocardium composed of?

Muscle

What is the epicardium composed of?

- Connective tissue - Basement membrane - Epithelium

What is the same layer as the epithelium of the epicardium?

Visceral layer of serous pericardium

What does the endocardium form?

Valves

What type of cells are found in the endocardium?

Simple squamous epithelium sitting o basement membrane sitting on connective tissue

Where is the endocardium found?

Lining the heart chambers

What is the myocardium?

Thick middle layer of the heart wall

What type of muscle is the myocardium?

Cardiac muscle composed of myocytes

What are the characteristics of cardiac muscle?

- Striated muscle - Lots of mitochondria - Rich capillary bed - Muscle bundles in different planes to close down chamber lumen - Myocytes connected by intercalated discs

What are intercalated discs?

Complex junctions that connect myocytes

What type of junctions do intercalated discs contain?

- Desmosomes | - Gap junctions

What do desmosomes do?

- Connect at horizontal interface | - Bind myocytes together

What do gap junctions do?

- Connect at vertical interface - Electrical communication - Essential to co-ordinated cardiac cycle

What is the epicardium?

Outer layer of the heart wall

What does the epicardium contain?

Branches of coronary arteries embedded in fat

What are the 4 chambers of the heart?

- Right atrium - Right ventricle - Left ventricle - Left atrium

What controls the direction of blood flow?

Valves

Which chamber forms the inferior border of the heart?

Right ventricle

Which chamber forms the superior border of the heart?

Left atrium

Which chamber forms the right border of the heart?

Right atrium

Which chamber forms the left border of the heart?

Left ventricle

What do heart valves do??

Control direction of blood flow

What are cusps?

Thin structures derived from endocardium

What is the energy demand of cusps?

They work passively

What prevents valve failure?

- Chordae tendinaea | - Papillary muscles

What abnormalities can arise in valves?

- Widening known as incompetence | - Narrowing known as stenosis

What infection can effect valves?

Bacterial endocarditis

Which valves are known as semi-lunar valves?

- Pulmonary | - Aortic

What is another name for the mitral valve?

Bicuspid

What are the bicuspid and tricuspid valves also known as?

Atrio-ventricular valves

What does failure of the aortic valve cause?

Back flow of blood into the left ventricle

What kind of tissue is the cardiac skeleton composed from?

Connective tissue

What are the 2 functions of the cardiac skeleton?

- Structural support | - Electrical insulation

What does the cardiac skeleton provide support for?

- Atrioventricular septum - Roots of great vessels - Anchorage for valves - Myocytes/ capillary network

What does the cardiac skeleton provide electrical insulation for?

- Atria from ventricles | - Myocardium from great vessels

What modulates the beating of the heart?

Vagus nerve and sympathetic chian

What are the 2 main coronary arteries?

Right and left

Why does blood not enter the coronary arteries during systole?

The openings in the aortic sinuses are shielded by the aortic valve

Why does blood enter the coronary arteries during diastole?

Elastic recoil of aorta closes aortic valve and blood enters arteries

Where are the coronary arteries located?

Epicardium

What does occlusion of the coronary arteries cause?

Heart attack

Why can blood flow into the capillaries during diastole?

Myocardium relaxes

What does the heart 'hang' by?

Great vessels within fibrous pericardium

What is the pericardium?

A dense connective tissue bag

What does the pericardium attach to?

- Central tendon of diaphragm - Sternum - Roots of great vessels

What lines the pericardium?

Serous pericardium layer

What type of tissue is the serous pericardium?

Epithelium

What does the serous pericardium secrete?

Pericardial fluid which acts as a lubricant

What is the visceral layer bound to?

Heart

What is the parietal layer bound to?

Fibrous pericardium

What does the serous pericardium allow?

Freedom of movement during cardiac cycle

What is the serous pericardium composed of?

Continuous layer of visceral and parietal pericardium