Cardiovascular Flashcards
Cardiac output can be defined as…..
stroke volume x heart rate
Cardiac output =
the amount of blood pumoed by the heart in 1 minute
What is another name for the pacemaker of the heart?
SA node
What shape is the heart and what size is it roughly?
cone shaped
about the size of your fist
WHeres does the heart sit?
within the mediastinum
location of the heart is….
slightly left of the midline
What are the lateral, posterior, anterior and inferior borders of the heart?
Lateral = lungs Posterior = Vertebral column Anterior = Sternum Inferior = Diaphram
How many chambers are there in the heart?
4
2x atria
2x ventricles
What are the left and right atria seperated by?
the interatrial septum
What are the left and right ventricles seperated by?
interventricular spetum
What are valves?
Prevents the backflow of blood
How many valves are there?
4
2 each
What are the valves called?
bicuspid and tricuspid
aortic and pulmonary
Biscuspid and tricuspid are what kind of valves?
Atrioventricular valves
Aortic and pulmonary are what kind of valves?
Semilunar valves
What is the overal function of the heart?
Pumps deoxygenated blood into the lungs and pumps Oxygenated blood to the body.
What is the mediastinum?
it is what is found in the midline of the thorax.
What is the pericardium?
a layer that surrounds the heart.
What are the layers of the pericardium called?
Fibrious layer Parietal layer ( outer serous layer) Visceral layer (inner serous layer)
What is the space between the heart and the pericardium called?
The pericardial cavity
What is the heart made up of?
Myocardium
Endocardium
Epicardium (also known as visceral layer)
What is in the percardial cavity and whats its function?
Contains fluid
and allows lubrication of the heart so the heart can expand when it beats.
What are the main arteries involved with the heart?
Aorta Pulmonary arteries Left Subclavian Left common Carotid Brachiocephallic
What are the main veins involved with the heart?
SVC
IVC
Pulmonary veins
What is the main difference between the TRIcuspid valve and BIcuspid valve?
TRIcuspid has three pappilary muscle attachments via chordae tendaniae
and the other one has 2
What is chordae tendinae?
referred to as the heart strings.
It attaches to pappilary muscles which allows contraction and also allows the heart to open and close.
What is the blood flow of the heart?
- blood comes into the SVC + IVC
- Then right atrium through the TRICUSPID valve
- into the right ventricle
- then out through the Pulmonary ateries to the lungs
- then oxygenated blood comes back in from the lungs through pulmonary veins
- into the left atrium through the BICUSPID valve
- Left ventricle
- Aorta to the body
Why is the left ventricle so much thicker than the right?
Left pumps blood to the WHOLE body where as right is only to the lungs
Innervation of the heart is dominated by two types of cells. What are they?
Nodal cells and cardiomyocytes
What are nodal cells?
They are responsible for initiating the wave of excitation which passes through the cells by gap junction, into the myocytes, allowing contraction of the heart.
The excitiation of nodal cells are dominated by?
L- type Ca2+ channels
What are cardiomyocytes?
muscles cells (myocytes) that make up the cardiac muslce
The excitiation of cardiac muscles are dominated by?
voltage gated Na+ channels
In nodal cells the resting potential is ____ _____ than most somatic cells
less negative (-60/-70)
Why do nodal cells have a less negative resting potential?
due to the opening of the L-type Ca2+ channles, leading to rapid influx of Ca2+
What happens when the membrane in nodal cells become positive?
slow voltage gated K+ channels open causing gradual repolarization of the nodal cell.
Ca2+ channels close here too
What leads to hyperpolarization in nodal cells ?
a slight overshoot of the K+
What channels activated in nodal cells due to hyperpolarization?
HCN channels. This allows Na+ to come into the cell and K+ to leave the cell so allowing cycle to start again (insert pic)
What happens when action potential arrives in cardiomyoctes?
voltage gated Na+ channels open, leading to rapid influx and
depolarization of the cardiac myocyte.