Cardiovascular Introduction Flashcards
Heart Rate (HR)
How often the heart contracts each minute (beats per minute, bpm)
Strove Volume (SV)
How often the heart contracts each minute (beats per minute, bpm)
Cardiac Output (CO)
The volume of blood ejected from the left ventricle each minute (mL/min or L/min)
Preload
The pressure in the left ventricle prior to contraction. It is closely related to the volume of blood in the left ventricle prior to contraction.
Afterload
The pressure that the ventricle has to overcome for blood to be able to be ejected
Contractility
The ability of the heart to contract (generate force)
Intoropy
Force of contraction
Lusitropy
Force of relaxation
Ejection Fraction
The percentage of blood that leaves the left ventricle with each beat
Vasodilation
Increasing of vascular radius (which decreases resistance and increases flow)
Vasoconstriction
Decreasing of vascular radius (which increases resistance and decreases
flow)
Systole
Contraction of a chamber in the heart (atrial or ventricular)
Diastole
Relaxation of a chamber in the heart (atrial or ventricular)
Compliance
Ability of a chamber (or vessel) to stretch
Elasticity
Ability of a chamber (or vessel) to return to its original shape