Biology Topic 5 The Circulatory system Flashcards
What is the heart and its function?
It’s an organ that pumps blood around the body in a double circulatory system
Right ventricle features and function?
Pumps blood to the lungs where gas exchange takes place
Left ventricle features and function?
Thicker wall with more muscle to generate higher pressure to pump blood a longer distance to the rest of the body
What is the path blood takes through the circulatory
Vena cava > Right Atrium > Right Ventricle > Pulmonary Artery > Lungs > Pulmonary Vein > Left Atrium > Left Ventricle > Aorta > Rest of Body
How is heart rate controlled?
By a group of cells in the right atrium that act as a pacemaker
Structure of Arteries
Thick muscle walls to withstand high blood pressure, Elastic fibres, small lumen
Structure of Veins
Large Lumen, Valves to stop the back flow of blood
Structure of Capillaries?
One cell thick walls to increases substance exchange, too small to see
What is Haemoglobin and where is it found?
In red blood cells, binds to oxygen to transport if from the lungs to tissues
What is Coronary heart disease?
Layers of fatty material building up inside the coronary arteries, narrowing them, reducing the flow of blood and resulting in a lack of oxygen to heart cells
What are stents used for?
Keeping coronary arteries open
What are statins used for
Drug that reduces blood cholesterol which slows down the rate of fatty deposit
What are artificial hearts used for?
Keeping patients alive waiting for a heart transplant, allows heart to rest as an aid to recovery
