Cardiorespiratory system Flashcards
What is homeostasis?
Homeostasis is the property of a system in which a variable is actively regulated to remain nearly constant. In the body it is the maintenance of the internal environment, faced with variation in the external environment, activity, and intake of nutrients
How is homeostasis maintained in the body?
The core mechanism is a negative feedback loop
What are the functions of the cardiovascular system?
Rapid transport & distribution of nutrients and waste products
Distribution of water, electrolytes & hormones
Exchange between blood vessels and interstitial fluid
Infrastructure of immune system
Temperature regulation
What is pulmonary circulation?
Blood going to the lungs under low resistance and pressure
What is systemic circulation?
Blood going to the rest of the body under high resistance and pressure
What is the arterial system?
Blood flowing away from the heat in arteries under high pressure
Why is venous return important?
The heart can only pump out blood that comes back
Define systolic blood pressure
Blood pressure when the heart contracts
Define diastolic blood pressure
Resting blood pressure when the heart isn’t contracting
Describe the atria
Thin-walled (compare with ventricles)
Receive venous blood (reservoir function)
Right atrium receives systemic venous blood, left atrium receives oxygenated venous blood
Act as pumps to fill ventricles at low pressures
Produce the hormone atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)
Describe the ventricles
Eject blood into the arterial systems including to lungs
Left ventricle has a thicker wall than the right ventricle and generates higher pressures – blood to systemic circulation
What structure within the heart initiates the beat?
The sinoatrial node. It’s the physiological pacemaker, maintaining the heart’s rhythmicity.
What does the P wave of an ECG correspond to?
Atrial depolarisation
What does the QRS complex of an ECG correspond to?
Ventricular depolarisation
What does the T wave of an ECG correspond to?
Ventricular repolarisation
What does the PR interval of an ECG correspond to?
Atrioventricular conduction
What does the QT interval of an ECG correspond to?
Duration of ventricular activation
Define tachycardia
A fast resting heart rate (>100 bpm)
Define bradycardia
A slow resting heart rate (<60 bpm)
Cardiac output =
heart rate X stroke volume