Cardiovascular System Flashcards
What is the main function of the Cardiovascular system?
The main function of the cardiovascular system is to transport oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and other essential substances throughout the body, while also removing waste products and carbon dioxide.
What type of blood does the right side and left side of the heart carry?
The right side of the heart carries deoxygenated or oxygen-poor blood, while the left side of the heart carries oxygenated or oxygen-rich blood.
Where does the blood travel from the right ventricle?
From the right ventricle, the blood travels to the pulmonary artery.
Where does the blood travel from the left ventricle?
Aorta
Name the four chambers of the heart and describe their function.
Right Atrium: The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood returning from the body through the superior and inferior vena cava. It then contracts to pump the blood into the right ventricle.
Right Ventricle: The right ventricle receives deoxygenated blood from the right atrium and pumps it into the pulmonary artery. From there, the blood is directed to the lungs for oxygenation.
Left Atrium: The left atrium receives oxygenated blood returning from the lungs through the pulmonary veins. It contracts to push the blood into the left ventricle.
Left Ventricle: The left ventricle receives oxygenated blood from the left atrium and is responsible for pumping it out to the rest of the body through the aorta. It has a thick muscular wall to generate enough force to propel the blood throughout the systemic circulation.
The left side of the heart deals with oxygenated blood, while the right side deals with deoxygenated blood. The atria act as receiving chambers, while the ventricles serve as the main pumping chambers of the heart.
Distinguish between pulmonary and systemic circulation, and which side of
the heart transports blood for each circuit.
Pulmonary Circulation: Pulmonary circulation is the pathway through which blood is circulated between the heart and the lungs. It involves the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Deoxygenated blood from the body is pumped by the right ventricle into the pulmonary artery. The pulmonary artery carries the blood to the lungs, where oxygen is obtained and carbon dioxide is released. Oxygenated blood then returns to the heart via the pulmonary veins, entering the left atrium.
Systemic Circulation: Systemic circulation refers to the circulation of oxygenated blood between the heart and the rest of the body’s tissues and organs. The left side of the heart receives oxygenated blood from the pulmonary veins and pumps it into the aorta, the largest artery in the body. The aorta branches into smaller arteries, which deliver the oxygenated blood to various tissues throughout the body. In capillaries, exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and waste products occurs. Deoxygenated blood then returns to the heart through veins and enters the right atrium.
What is the function of valves and where are they located?
The function of valves in the cardiovascular system is to ensure the one-way flow of blood, preventing backflow and maintaining proper circulation. The valves act as door-like structures that open and close in response to pressure changes during the cardiac cycle.
There are four main valves in the heart:
Tricuspid Valve: The tricuspid valve is located between the right atrium and right ventricle. It prevents the backflow of blood from the right ventricle back into the right atrium when the ventricle contracts.
Pulmonary Valve: The pulmonary valve is situated between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. It prevents the backflow of blood from the pulmonary artery back into the right ventricle when the ventricle relaxes.
Mitral Valve: The mitral valve, also known as the bicuspid valve, is located between the left atrium and left ventricle. It prevents the backflow of blood from the left ventricle back into the left atrium when the ventricle contracts.
Aortic Valve: The aortic valve is situated between the left ventricle and the aorta. It prevents the backflow of blood from the aorta back into the left ventricle when the ventricle relaxes.
The valves open and close passively due to pressure differences within the heart chambers. When the pressure is higher behind the valve, it opens, allowing blood to flow in one direction. When the pressure is higher in front of the valve, it closes, preventing the backward flow of blood
Name the three types of blood vessels and describe what happens in each
Arteries: Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood (except for the pulmonary artery) away from the heart and distribute it to various tissues and organs throughout the body. They have thick and elastic walls that can withstand high pressure. Arteries branch into smaller vessels called arterioles, which further divide into capillaries.
Capillaries: Capillaries are the smallest and thinnest blood vessels in the body. They connect arteries to veins and are involved in the exchange of oxygen, nutrients, waste products, and hormones between the blood and surrounding tissues. Capillaries have very thin walls, allowing for easy diffusion of substances between the blood and tissues.
Veins: Veins are blood vessels that carry deoxygenated blood (except for the pulmonary veins) back to the heart from the body tissues. Veins have thinner and less elastic walls compared to arteries. They contain valves that help prevent the backflow of blood and assist in propelling blood towards the heart. Veins merge into larger vessels called venules, which further combine to form veins and return blood to the heart.
What is found in blood? What materials are carried in the blood that cells need?
Blood contains red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma. The materials carried in the blood that cells need include oxygen, nutrients (glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals), and waste products (carbon dioxide and metabolic byproducts).
What is EPO? What is the function of EPO? How does it affect blood?
EPO stands for erythropoietin. It is a hormone produced primarily by the kidneys in response to low oxygen levels in the body.
The function of EPO is to stimulate the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. It acts on the stem cells in the bone marrow, promoting their differentiation into red blood cells, also known as erythropoiesis.
EPO affects the blood by increasing the number of red blood cells circulating in the bloodstream. This leads to an increase in the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, allowing for improved oxygen delivery to tissues and organs throughout the body. EPO is particularly important in maintaining the balance of red blood cells and ensuring adequate oxygen supply to meet the body’s needs.
Where in the body are oxygen levels are high and low.
High oxygen levels: Lungs, arteries (oxygenated blood)
Low oxygen levels: Tissues and organs (oxygen consumption)
What contributes to high blood pressure?
Unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as poor diet, high salt intake, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity, and smoking, can contribute to high blood pressure. Other factors include obesity, stress, family history, age, and certain medical conditions.
What does blood pressure represent? What do the terms systole and diastole represent?
Blood pressure represents the force exerted by blood against the walls of the blood vessels as it is pumped by the heart. It is typically measured using two values: systolic pressure and diastolic pressure.
Systole refers to the higher number in a blood pressure reading and represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart contracts and pumps blood into the circulation.
Diastole refers to the lower number in a blood pressure reading and represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest between beats and refilling with blood.
Together, systolic and diastolic pressure provide information about the maximum force during a heartbeat (systolic) and the minimum force during the relaxation phase (diastolic). Blood pressure is expressed as the systolic pressure over the diastolic pressure, such as 120/80 mmHg.
What is the correlation between heart rate and the strength of the heart?
There is no direct correlation between heart rate and the strength of the heart. Heart rate refers to the number of times the heart beats per minute, while the strength of the heart refers to its ability to contract effectively. Although heart rate can be influenced by the strength of the heart, it is not a direct measure of heart strength.
What is the function of hemoglobin?
The function of hemoglobin is to transport oxygen from the lungs to the body’s tissues and organs, and to carry carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs for elimination.
