Cardiology

Question 1

Describe the location of the heart in the chest

Answer 1

-The heart lies in the thoracic cavity.
-Medially in between the two lungs in the mediastinum
- The apex of the heart (inferior tip of the heart) lies 9cm to the left of the midclavicular line in the 5th intercostal space.

Question 2

What forms the right border of the heart?

Answer 2

right atrium

Question 3

What forms the inferior border and most of the anterior (front) surface of the heart?

Answer 3

Right ventricle

Question 4

What forms the left border and the apex of the heart?

Answer 4

Left ventricle

Question 5

Function of the superior and inferior vena cava?

Answer 5

To bring deoxygenated blood from the body to the right atrium

Question 6

Function of the pulmonary trunk?

Answer 6

Takes deoxygenated blood to the lungs

Question 7

Function of the pulmonary veins?

Answer 7

Bring oxygenated blood back to the left atrium

Question 8

Function of the aorta?

Answer 8

Takes oxygenated blood to the body

Question 9

Which organs are inferiorly associated with the heart?

Answer 9

The apex

Question 10

Which organs are superiorly associated with the heart?

Answer 10

aorta, superior vena cava, pulmonary veins and artery

Question 11

Which organs are posteriorly to the heart?

Answer 11

oesophagus, trachea, left and right bronchus, descending aorta, inferior vena cava and thoracic vertebrae

Question 12

Which organs are anteriorly to the heart?

Answer 12

sternum, ribs and intercostal muscles

Question 13

What is the heart wall composed of?

Answer 13

pericardium, myocardium and endocardium

Question 14

What is the pericardium?

Answer 14

Is a fluid filled sac which the heart is enclosed in.

Question 15

What does the pericardium consist of?

Answer 15

made up of 2 sacs
outer sac- fibrous pericardium,
inner sac- serous pericardium

Question 16

describe the fibrous pericardium

Answer 16

consists of fibrous tissue, its inelastic, protects and prevents over distension of the heart

• continuous with the tunica adventitia of the blood vessels above and attached to the diaphragm below

Question 17

describe the serous pericardium

Answer 17

-continuous double layer of serous membrane
- formed by single layer of endothelial cells, its folded over itself forming a double layer membrane around the heart
-the folding over itself creates a
enclosed space between the 2 layers

Question 18

what is the space between the outer and inner layers of serous pericardium called?

Answer 18

pericardial cavity

Question 19

what is in the space between the outer and inner layers of serous pericardium?

Answer 19

pericardial fluid

Question 20

what is another name for the outer layer of the serous pericardium?

Answer 20

parietal layer

Question 21

what is another name for the inner layer of the serous pericardium?

Answer 21

viceral layer

Question 22

Visceral pericardium is the same as what?

Answer 22

epicardium

Question 23

What is the epicardium (visceral pericardium) firmly attached to?

Answer 23

the myocardium

Question 24

What does the parietal pericardium line?

Answer 24

lines the fibrous pericardium

Question 25

what does the pericardial fluid act as?

Answer 25

lubricating fluid, prevents rubbing of the heart against the fibrous pericardium when it beats.

Question 26

Describe the myocardium?

Answer 26

-specialised cardiac muscle
-striated
-involuntary control
-each (fibre) cell has a nucleus and one or more branches
-rich in mitochondria to supply its high needs
-end of the cells and their branches are in close contact with ends and branches of adjacent cells

Question 27

what do the “joints” (intercalated discs) of myocardium cells microscopically look like?

Answer 27

thicker, darker lines that the striations.

Question 28

what is the advantage of the myocardium cells branched together?

Answer 28

-when an impulse is initiated it spreads from cells to cell via the branches and intercalated discs
-allows the whole heart to contract in a coordinated efficient way and manner

Question 29

what is the endocardium?

Answer 29

-thin membrane that lines the valves and chambers of the heart

-thin membrane consists of single layer of flattened epithelial cells and is continuous with the endothelial which lines the blood vessels
- smooth to reduce friction as blood flows over it

Question 30

why can electrical activity pass from the atria to ventricle only via fibres which are specialised in conducting?

Answer 30

-both the chambers are separated by a fibrous tissue (fibrous skeleton) which cant conduct electrical impulses
-acts as an insulating layer in the chambers

Question 31

what is another name for the Right atrioventricular valve?

Answer 31

tricuspid valve

Question 32

how many flabs does the tricuspid valve have?

Answer 32

3

Question 33

what is another name for the left atrioventricular valve?

Answer 33

mitral valve

Question 34

how many flabs does the mitral valve have?

Answer 34

2

Question 35

what do valves ensure?

Answer 35

that the blood flow is maintained in one direction

Question 36

what is the summary order of the layers in the heart?

Answer 36

-pericardium fibrous then serous.
(fibrous, parietal, pericardial space containing pericardial fluid, visceral pericardium)
-myocardium
-endocardium

Question 37

what determines the opening and closing of valves?

Answer 37

changes in pressure in the heart chambers

Question 38

what happens when the pressure in the atria is higher than the ventricle?

Answer 38

valves open

Question 39

what happens when the pressure in the ventricle is higher than the atria?

Answer 39

valves close