Cardiology Flashcards
Which chamber of the heart forms the apex?
Left ventricle.
Which cardiac chamber is most anterior and susceptible to trauma?
Right ventricle.
What is the most posterior chamber of the heart?
Left atrium.
What structure separates the left and right atria?
Interatrial septum.
What is the fibrous skeleton of the heart?
Dense connective tissue providing structural support and electrical insulation between atria and ventricles.
Which coronary artery supplies the SA node in most individuals?
Right coronary artery (RCA).
What does the left anterior descending (LAD) artery supply?
Anterior 2/3 of the interventricular septum, anterior left ventricle, and anterolateral papillary muscle.
Which coronary artery supplies the AV node?
Right coronary artery in 85% of cases.
What is the dominant coronary circulation in most people?
Right-dominant (85%), meaning the PDA arises from the RCA.
Which artery is commonly used in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)?
Internal thoracic (mammary) artery or great saphenous vein.
Which heart valve is located at the right second intercostal space?
Aortic valve.
Which heart valve is auscultated at the left second intercostal space?
Pulmonary valve.
Where is the mitral valve best heard?
Left 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line.
Which heart valve is most commonly affected in rheumatic heart disease?
Mitral valve.
What structure prevents mitral and tricuspid valve prolapse?
Chordae tendineae and papillary muscles.
Where is the sinoatrial (SA) node located?
In the right atrium near the opening of the superior vena cava.
What is the function of the AV node?
Delays conduction between atria and ventricles to allow for ventricular filling.
What is the pathway of electrical conduction in the heart?
SA node → AV node → Bundle of His → Right and left bundle branches → Purkinje fibers.
Which cardiac structure is responsible for rapid depolarization of the ventricles?
Purkinje fibers.
What is the blood supply of the bundle of His?
Left anterior descending (LAD) artery.
What are the layers of the pericardium?
Fibrous pericardium (outer), serous pericardium (parietal and visceral layers).
Which nerve innervates the pericardium?
Phrenic nerve (C3-C5).
What is cardiac tamponade?
Compression of the heart due to fluid accumulation in the pericardial sac, leading to decreased cardiac output.
What is Beck’s triad?
Hypotension, jugular venous distension, and muffled heart sounds (indicative of cardiac tamponade).
