Cardiac Physiology Flashcards

1
Q

Where is the heart located?

6

A

Near the anterior chest wall

Directly posterior to the sternum

Slightly left of the midline

Projects inferiorly and slightly anteriorly

Projects to the left

Posterior to the sternum

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2
Q

How many times does the heart beat a day?

A

100,000 times a day

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3
Q

How many chambers does the heart have?

A

Four

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4
Q

How big is the heart?

A

Size of a clenched fist

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5
Q

How many litres of blood does the heart pump a day?

A

8,000 L a day

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6
Q

Name the four chambers of the heart.

A

Right atrium

Right ventricle

Left atrium

Left ventricle

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7
Q

What does the right atrium do?

A

Collects blood from the systemic circuit (deoxygenated blood from the body)

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8
Q

What does the right ventricle do?

A

Pumps blood to the pulmonary circuit (to lungs to be oxygenated)

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9
Q

What does the left atrium do?

A

Collects blood from the pulmonary circuit (oxygenated blood)

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10
Q

What does the left ventricle do?

A

Pumps blood to the systemic circuit

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11
Q

How does blood flow through the heart?

7

A

Systemic circuit -> right atrium -> right ventricle -> pulmonary circuit -> left atrium -> left ventricle -> systemic circuit

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12
Q

Where are the large/great vessels connected?

A

To the base of the heart/the superior aspect

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13
Q

What are the four main great veins?

A

Aorta

Vena Cava

Pulmonary veins

Pulmonary artery

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14
Q

What happens in right heart failure?

A

Can’t pump blood to the lungs

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15
Q

What happens in left heart failure?

A

Cant pump blood to the body

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16
Q

What happens during a single heartbeat?

2

A

First both the atria contract

Then both the ventria contract

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17
Q

During a heartbeat what happens when the ventria contract?

3

A

During this, both ventria eject equal volumes of blood

The right ventricle pumps its blood into the pulmonary artery

The left ventricle pumps its blood into the aorta

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18
Q

What is the pericardium?

5

A

A fibrous sac that surrounds the heart

There is a small amount of fluid between the sac and the heart

Inner layer = attached to muscle wall of the heart (visceral layer/epicardium)

Fluid

Thick fibrous membrane that attaches heart to diaphragm (parietal layer)

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19
Q

What cavity is the heart located in?

A

The mediastinum cavity

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20
Q

Other than the heart what else is found in the mediastinum cavity?

A

The oesophagus and the trachea

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21
Q

What is the name of the inner membrane of the pericardium?

2

A

Visceral layer

Epicardium

22
Q

What is the name of the outer membrane of the pericardium?

A

Parietal layer

23
Q

What are viscera?

A

The soft organs of the body

24
Q

What type of membranes make up the pericardium?

A

a double serous membrane

25
Q

What is the function of the pericardial fluid?

A

Lubricates the heart

26
Q

What is the coronary sulcus?

2

A

Deep grove on the external surface of the heart

It marks the border between the atrial chambers and the ventricle chambers

27
Q

What marks the border between the atrial chambers and the ventricle chambers?

A

The coronary sulcus

28
Q

What are the anterior and posterior interventricular sulci?

A

Shallow depressions between the ventria on both the anterior and posterior positioning

29
Q

What do all the sulci mark out?

A

They mark the route for the coronary arteries and veins (blood supply for heart)

30
Q

How many layers are there to the heart wall?

A

Three

31
Q

What are the three layers to the heart wall?

A

Epicardium

Myocardium

Endocardium

32
Q

What is the epicardium?

A

The visceral pericardium, the serous membrane composed of mesothelium and loose areolar connective tissue

33
Q

What makes up the epicardium?

2

A

Mesothelium

Loose areolar connective tissue

34
Q

What makes up the endocardium?

A

Simple squamous endothelium supported by areolar tissue

35
Q

What is the myocardium?

A

The muscle wall of the heart

36
Q

What does the myocardium form?

A

The atria and ventria

37
Q

What does the myocardium consist of?

3

A

Concentric layers of cardiac muscle

Blood vessels

Nerves

38
Q

Describe the structure of the myocardium.

3

A

The muscle layer forms two sheaths of muscle

One sheath around the atria

Another sheath around the ventria

39
Q

Describe the muscle of the heart.

6

A

Made of interconnected cardiac muscle cells

Secured by desmosomes

Linked by gap junctions

Convey force of contraction

Propagate action potentials

Muscle cells are connected at intercalated discs

40
Q

What is the function of intercalated discs?

A

If one cell becomes excited the whole sheath of muscle will become excited

41
Q

What is the endocardium?

A

It lines the inner surface of the heart and valves

42
Q

What is the endocardium made of?

2

A

Simple squamous epithelium (continuous with endothelium of the large blood vessels)

Some areolar connective tissue

43
Q

What is the epithelium of blood vessels called?

A

Endothelium

44
Q

What is carditis?

A

Inflammation of any one of the heart wall layers

45
Q

What allows excitation to spread through a sheath of muscle?

A

Myofibres

46
Q

What exactly is the excitation of muscle?

A

Excitation is an electrical process in the form of depolarisation

47
Q

How many syncytia does the heart have?

A

Two

48
Q

What are the two syncytia of the heart?

A

The atrial syncytium

The ventricular syncytium

49
Q

What is the conduction system of the heart?

2

A

The SA node passes signal to atrial muscle (through wires spread across atria) and to the AV node at the same time

The AV node passes signal to ventricle muscle

50
Q

What is the SA node more often called?

A

The pacemaker