Cardiovascular System 1 - Anatomy of The Heart Flashcards
Define the term superior
Higher
Define the term inferior
Lower
Define the term lateral
To the side, ie. not medial.
Define the term medial
Through the middle of the body, from head to toe
Define the term posterior
Behind
Define the term anterior
Infront
Define the term proximal
Close
Define the term distal
Further away than
What are the main types of view?
- Parasagittal (to the side of the median)
- Median/saggital (in the middle of the body)
- Coronal (a slice that cuts the body from ventral to dorsal)
- Transverse (a horizontal slice)
Recall the organisation of the pericardium
- Visceral pericardium (a layer of serous tissue between the myocardium and pericardial space)
- Parietal pericardium (a layer of serous tissue lining the fibrous pericardium and facing the pericardial space)
- Visceral and parietal pericardium make up the serous membranes
- Fibrous pericardium (connective tissue to protect the heart and hold its position)
What is the function of the pericardium?
- Fibrous membrane - provides protection and structural support
- Serous membranes - provide lubrication between the heart and fibrous membrane
Describe the pathway of bloodflow through the heart, starting at the vena cava
- Blood enters the right atrium through the superior and inferior vena cava.
- Blood then passes through the tricuspid valve and enters the right ventricle
- Blood leaves the right ventricle and enters the pulmonary trunk via the pulmonary valve
- Blood re-enters the heart through the pulmonary veins, at the left atrium.
- It passes through the mitral (bicuspid) valve to the left ventricle, and then through the aortic valve to the aorta
What is a trunk vessel?
A large conjugate that splits into many sections and is usually quite short.
Where is the blood from the superior vena cava from?
The head, neck and upper limbs
Where is the blood from the inferior vena cava from?
The lower parts of the body
Define visceral
Visceral relates to the internal organs of the body
Define parietal
This term defines the wall of the body, the body cavity or hollow structure.
Describe the structural similarities and differences between the heart valves.
- Similarities: the tricuspid valve, aortic valve and pulmonary valve all have three cusps (flaps)
- Difference: The mitral valve has only two cusps. *This may be because it once had three but due to lung inactivity in the foetus two cusps fused together.)
What are the layers of the blood vessel wall?
- Tunica externa (connective tissue)
- Tunica media (smooth muscle and elastic fibre, surrounded by the external elastic lamina and internal elastic lamina)
- Tunica intima (squamous epithelium)
What is another name for an artery?
Conduit vessels, as they carry blood from one location to another
Recall the structure of the hearts wall
- Endocardium (one cell thick, the layer between the heart and the blood)
- Myocardium (the layer of cardiac muscle cells)
Where is the heart located?
In the centre left of the thorax in a space called the mediastinum
What is another name for arterioles?
Resistance vessels, as they control flow of blood to the capillary beds
What is another name for a capillary?
Exchange vessels
What is another name for a vein?
Capacitance vessels, as they contain the majority of the blood at any given time
What are the three coronary arteries?
- The right coronary artery, which splits to form the right conus artery
- The left anterior descending (goes downwards)
- The left circumflex (bends around the heart)
What are the veins of the coronary circulation?
- Anterior veins
- Small cardiac vein
- Right marginal vein
- Middle cardiac vein
- Anterior interventricular vein
- Great cardiac vein
Where do the cardiac veins meet?
At the coronary sinus, which leads to the right atrium
