Cardiovascular anatomy

Question 1

Describe the path of pulmonary circulation

Answer 1

right –> lungs –> left

Question 2

Describe the path of systemic circulation

Answer 2

left–> tissues –> right

Question 3

What is cardiac arrest?

Answer 3

When heart stops

Question 4

What is heart failure?

Answer 4

When heart doesn’t pump well enough

Question 5

Where is the heart?

Answer 5

Thoracic cavity
In middle mediastinum
2/3 on left side, 1/3 on right side

Question 6

Describe how the mediastinum is divided

Answer 6

Superior
Inferior - anterior
- middle
- posterior

Question 7

What is the pericardium?

Answer 7

Sac surrounding heart

Question 8

Name the two layers of the pericardium

Answer 8

fibrous pericardium

serous pericardium

Question 9

Describe the fibrous pericardium

Answer 9

Outer layer, tough, thick and fibrous

Prevents heart overfilling and gives some protection

Haemopericardium can result in cardiac tamponade

Question 10

What is cardiac tamponade?

Answer 10

When heart is under pressure and cannot pump correctly

Can lead to cardiac arrest

Question 11

Describe the serous pericardium

Answer 11

Thin, inner membrane which secretes serous fluid

Covers heart, but heart is not actually inside this membrane

Question 12

Name the two parts of the serous pericardium

Answer 12

Visceral - touching heart
Parietal - touching fibrous pericardium

The two parts are continuous ( a loop )

Question 13

Why is the heart not inside the pericardial cavity?

Answer 13

As heart grows, it pushes into serous pericardium from outside and serous layer never breaks

Question 14

Name and describe the three layers of heart tissue

Answer 14

Epicardium - serous pericardium
Myocardium - muscle
Endocardium - internal lining, continuous with tunic intima lining of blood vessels

Question 15

What does the inferior surface of the heart rest on?

Answer 15

Diaphragm

Question 16

What divides the oxygenated and deoxygenated blood in the heart?

Answer 16

Septum

Question 17

What do the valves in the heart do?

Answer 17

Prevent blood flowing in the wrong direction

Question 18

Which valve sits between the right atrium and ventricle?

Answer 18

Tricuspid valve

Question 19

Which valve sits between the right ventricle and pulmonary trunk?

Answer 19

Pulmonary valve

Question 20

Which valve sits between the left atrium and ventricle?

Answer 20

Mitral (bicuspid) valve

Question 21

Which valve sits between the left ventricle and aorta?

Answer 21

Aortic valve

Question 22

Where is an electrical impulse initiated?

Answer 22

Sino-atrial node

Question 23

Describe the route of an electrical impulse in the heart

Answer 23

SA node to
AV node in atrioventricular septum down
right and left bundles in interventricular septum spreading through
myocardium via conducting fibres

Question 24

What does the fibrous part of the septum do?

Answer 24

Act as electrical insulator and ensures there is only one point of electrical conduction between atrial and ventricular myocardium

Question 25

What shape do the muscle cells in the heart form during development?

Answer 25

Spiral - enables heart to pump blood by contracting in a coordinated fashion

Question 26

What is fibrillation?

Answer 26

Uncoordinated contraction of cardiac muscle