Cardiovascular System Flashcards
4 main chambers of the heart
Left Atrium
Left Ventricle
Right Atrium
Right Ventricle
What are the names of the 4 main valves present in the heart?
Tricuspid Valve
Bicuspid Valve
Pulmonary Valve
Aortic Valve
What are the 3 parts of the cardiovascular system?
Heart
Blood
Blood Vessels
What are the 4 main vessels in the heart?
Vena Cava
Aorta
Pulmonary Artery
Pulmonary Vein
What is meant by the heart having a double circulation?
Blood passes through the heart twice in one complete circuit
What are the two circulation systems of the heart?
Systemic Circulation
Pulmonary Circulation
What is the pulmonary circulation?
Diffusion of O2 into blood
Diffusion of CO2 into alveoli
What is the systemic circulation?
To deliver O2 and nutrients to body cells
To remove CO2, water, heat from the body cells
Describe the pathway of blood through the heart:
In through the vena cava, into right atrium, through tricuspid valve right ventricle, pulmonary valve pulmonary artery and up to the lungs, back to the heart via the pulmonary vein, left atrium, bicuspid valve, left ventricle, aortic valve, aorta.
What are the 3 stages of the cardiac cycle?
Atrium Contraction
Ventricle Contraction
Filling stage
Explain stage 1 - ‘the atrium contraction stage’
Left and right atrium contract - blood is forced into left and right ventricle
Explain stage 2 - ‘the ventricle contraction stage’
Right and left ventricle contract -
Right - blood is forced into the pulmonary artery
Left - blood is forced into the aorta
Explain stage 3 - ‘the filling stage’
Left and right atrium relax
Blood flows into the atrium
What is the function of the right atrium?
Contracts - move blood into right ventricle
What is the function of the tricuspid valve?
Prevent backflow of blood into the right atrium
What is the function of the right ventricle?
Contract to move blood into pulmonary artery & lungs
What is the function of the pulmonary valve?
Prevent backflow into the right ventricle
What is the function of the left atrium?
Contracts to move blood into left ventricle
What is the function of the bicuspid valve?
To prevent backflow of blood into the left atrium
What is the function of the left ventricle?
Contracts to force blood into the aorta and to the rest of the body
What is the function of the aortic valve?
To prevent the backflow of blood into the left ventricle from the aorta
What are the 3 layers the heart is made up of?
Epicardium
Myocardium
Endocardium
What are the 3 types of blood vessel?
Arteries - arterioles
Veins - venules
Capillaries
What is an arteries main function?
To carry blood away from the heart
What are some characteristics of arteries?
Thick muscular wall Blood under high pressure Narrow Lumen Thick elastic tissue Strong contractility Located deep in the body
What is the main function of veins?
To carry deoxygenated blood into the heart
What are some characteristics of veins?
Thin muscular walls Wide lumen Blood is under low pressure Thin elastic fibres in the tissue Contractility present
What is the main function of a capillary?
Connecting arteries to veins
What are some characteristics of capillaries?
One cell thick - materials and substances can pass through
Allow diffusion of oxygen and nutrients
Pressure of blood is higher than in veins and lower than in arteries
How much blood does the average adult have?
4-5 litres of blood
What are the 4 parts of the composition of blood?
Red blood cells
White blood cells
Plasma
Platelets
What is another name for red blood cells?
Erythrocytes
Explain the immediate effect ‘ anticipatory increase in heart rate prior to exercise:
The feeling of your heart beating faster and louder
Happens before exercise
Psychological effect
Explain the immediate effect ‘increased heart rate’:
More blood is pumped to working muscle - delivery of oxygen and nutrients
Explain the immediate effect ‘increased cardiac output’
This is an increase in the amount of blood pumped out of the heart in one beat
This happens because of an increase in heart rate and stroke volume
Explain the immediate effect ‘increased blood pressure’
This means the pressure against the walls of the heart is greater
What are the two types of blood pressure?
Systolic
Diastolic
What is systolic blood pressure and when is it measured?
This is the blood pressure when the chambers are contracting, measured when the heart is contracting
What is diastolic blood pressure?
This is the pressure of the blood against the walls of the heart when the heart is relaxing/ not contracting
Explain the immediate effect ‘redirection of blood flow’:
Vascular shunting - happens during exercise
More blood will be delivered to the working muscle
Less blood will be taken places such as the digestive system
What is cardiac hypertrophy?
Chamber dilation
Increased muscle mass - thicker muscle
What is meant by ‘chamber dilation’?
the chambers of the heart have got bigger - bigger heart
Explain why chamber dilation is good:
There is more space - more volume of blood within it
Describe why having stronger and thicker muscular walls in the heart is important:
Increased cardiac output - more blood can be forced out of the heart at once
Why is an increased cardiac output a benefit?
There is increased respiration - more aerobic energy - more O2 to muscles
Why is having a thicker muscular wall in the left ventricle important?
More blood can be forced out through the aorta and to the rest of the body
Explain the adaptation ‘increase in resting and exercising stroke volume’:
This means there is more blood being delivered even at rest - the heart does not have to work as hard - less strain and stress - more powerful
Explain the adaptation ‘decrease in resting heart rate’
The heart does not need to pump as often as there is more blood being pumped out per beat
What is capillarisation?
This is an increase in capillary networks
More efficient delivery of oxygen and nutrients
Increase in size and no. of blood vessels
Explain the adaptation ‘increase in blood volume’:
More blood is being pumped around the body
More delivery of O2 and nutrients
Explain ‘arrhythmic death syndrome’
Causes sudden death - usually in young fit individuals
Natural heart rhythm becomes disrupted
