Cardiac A&P Foundational Concepts Flashcards
Arteries
- carry blood away from heart
- arterial vessels are known as resistance vessels b/c they have the ability to change amount of resistance encountered by blood flowing through them and can redistribute blood flow through body by constricting/dilating
- ax findings can provide info about cardiac output and perfusion of oxygenation blood to tissues
Veins
- carry blood towards heart
- capacitance vessels b/c they hold ~75% of body’s total blood volume
- ax findings give info about total circulating blood volume and volume of blood returning to the heart
what is common in all blood vessels
have three layers:
1) outer CT layer
2) middle layer of smooth muscle and elastic tissue. accommodates large amount of blood in venous system
3) inner layer of endothelium and small amount of elastic tissue
which organs contain the largest reservoirs of blood?
spleen, liver, intestines
(Sp-L-In)
describe blood flow through the heart
inferior/superior vena cava -> R atrium -> tricuspid valve -> R ventricle -> pulm valve -> pulm arteries -> lungs -> pulm veins -> L atrium -> mitral valve -> L ventricle -> aortic valve -> aorta -> arterial and venous systems
_______ send _______ blood to the lungs
pulmonary arteries, deoxygenated
_____ send ______ blood to the heart
pulmonary veins, oxygenated
which structures of the heart are not separated by valves?
-inferior/superior vena cava and R atrium
-pulmonary veins and L atrium
what represents the time of greatest cardiac output?
ventricular systole (contraction)
describe the parasympathetic nervous system
- rest and digest
- outflow from brain to heart originates in medulla and enters heart as vagus nerve
what does stimulation of the PNS cause?
1) rate of impulse generation at SA node slows down
2) transmission of impulses through AV node
3) slows heart rate
atropine
given for bradycardia, blocks vagal influence on heart. does not speed up heart directly
describe the sympathetic nervous system
- fight or flight
- triggered by stress and increases HR and contractility; stimulates secretion of adrenaline/noradrenaline
what facilitates SNS effects?
alpha and beta receptors (adrenergic receptors)
alpha receptors
- located in GI tract, skin, and peripheral blood vessels
- cause vasoconstriction of arterioles
- increase afterload, MAP and perfusion to major organs
beta-1 receptors
- located in heart
- increase speed of impulse transmission and conductivity, automaticity and force of contraction
-increase contractility - increase CO, SV and HR
beta-2 receptors
- found in lungs and skeletal muscle
- cause bronchodilation
- decrease airway resistance
- increase ventilation and arterial O2 content
sympathomimetic drugs
mimic action of SNS stimulus on beta receptors, produce effects that match stimulus of beta receptors
ex) dobutamine, dopamine
what are the main neurotransmitters?
acetylcholine (secreted by PNS nerves and few SNS nerves), epinephrine, norepinephrine (secreted by SNS nerves at synaptic cleft)
cholinergic
nerves and receptors interact by means of acetylcholine (PNS)
adrenergic
- nerves and receptors interact by means of norepinephrine/epinephrine (SNS)
- also respond to catecholamines in general systemic circuit
what happens when stress is prolonged?
SNS response is sustained d/t effects of circulating catecholamines