Cardiovascular: Session 2 Flashcards
Describe the basic structure of the heart?
chambers, valves, main vessels, differences between left and right
- Right atria and ventricle. They have a tricuspid valve between them.
- Left atria and ventricle. There is a mitral valve between them.
- Inferior and superior vena cava bring blood to right atrium.
- Right ventricle contract to eject blood through pulmonary artery. Pulmonary valve is present
- Left atrium receive oxygenated blood from pulmonary vein
- Left ventricle contracts to eject blood though the aorta. Aortic valve Is present
- Left side of the heart has a thicker muscular wall
What attaches the valves to papillary muscle and why?
- Chordae tendinae.
- Stop inversion of the valve during systole
What does a stenosis mean in heart valves?
Valve doesn’t open enough and there is obstruction to blood flow.
What is systole?
It is the period involving the contraction of the left ventricle myocardium and opening of the aortic valve
What is diastole?
It is a period of relaxation between contractions. Ventricular filling occurs (Aortic valve closes and Aorta recoils).
What is distinctive about Cardiac muscle compared to other types of muscle?
- Relatively Long Action potential (280ms)
- Action potential causes rise in intracellular calcium
- Branching
- Gap junctions enable electrical interconnection
- Discrete cells but interconnected electrically
What is regurgitation of heart valve?
Valve doesn’t close all the way so there is back leakage when valve should be closed
What are the causes of aortic valve stenosis?
- Degenerative (senile calcification/ fibrosis)
- Congenital (bicuspid form of the valve)
- Chronic rheumatic fever
What are the results of aortic valve stenosis?
Less blood can get through the valve.
- Left ventricular pressure increase which can result in LV hypertrophy.
- Left sided heart failure can also occur which leads to syncope or angina.
What are the causes of Aortic valve regurgitation?
Caused by
- Valvular damage
- Aortic root dilation
What are causes of mitral valve regurgitation?
- Myxomatous degeneration can weaken tissue leading prolapse. Inhibits function of the chordae tendineae and papillary muscle.
- Damage to papillary muscle after heart attack.
- Left sided heart failure leads to LV dilation which can stretch the valve
- Rheumatic fever can lead to leaflet fibrosis which disrupts seal formation
- Also blood leakage into LA increases preload as more blood enter LV in subsequent cycles so LV hypertrophy.
What is the main cause(99.9%) of Mitral valve stenosis?
Rheumatic fever. Commissural fusion of valve leaflets makes it harder for blood to flow from LA to LV.
What produces the 1st heart sound(S1)?
Closure of the tricuspid and mitral valve.
What produces the 2nd heart sound(S2)?
Closure of the aortic and pulmonary valve.
What is cardiac output?
Stroke volume X heart rate. Volume of blood pumped out per min
What is preload?
Amount the ventricles are stretched in diastole. Related to end diastolic volume.
What is afterload?
The load the heart must eject blood against. Roughly equivalent to aortic pressure.
What is contractility?
The force of contraction given the fibre length
Explain the Frank-Starling law of the heart?
The more the heart fills with blood, the greater the stretch in the heart fibres and the harder the contraction of the heart so greater stroke volume from the heart.