cardiovascular system Flashcards
what is the heart and what does it do?
- self adjusting double pump
- propels blood around 2 circulatory systems
what 2 systems does the heart pump blood around?
pulmonary and systemic
what is the heart formed from?
- myocardium (specialised cardiac muscle)
what does myocardium contraction allow?
- blood to be pushed out the chambers
what does myocardium relaxation allow?
- blood to flow or be pushed into heart
what is contraction of ventricles known as?
systole
what is relaxation of ventricles known as?
diastole
why is pulmonary circulation pumped at low pressure?
- not much force required to send blood distance through lungs from right to left heart
- high pressure would force fluid out into blood - lead to drowning
what are the properties of the blood pumped from lungs to right ventricle?
- very low oxygen concentration
where does blood go after leaving right ventricle?
- through pulmonary trunk which divides to give left and right pulmonary arteries
what does systemic mean?
affects whole body
where does the systemic circulation feed in to?
- in and out all organs apart from the lungs
what is the origin of systemic circulation?
left ventricle
where does the systemic circulation terminate?
right atrium
what type of pressure does systemic circulation operate at?
- high pressure
- force needed to perfuse all tissues
- blood has larger distance to travel from left to right heart
is the supply to organs rich or poor in oxygen?
rich
is the blood supply returning to the heart rich or poor in oxygen?
poor
where does the thorax lay?
sits superiorly in trunk of body
what is the function of the thoracic cage?
- protects contents of thorax
what is thoracic cage made up of?
ribs, costal cartilage, sternum (anteriorly), thoracic vertebrae (posterior)
what are the components of the thoracic cage?
- superior and inferior thoracic aperture
- sternum
- costal cartilage
- ribs
- thoracic vertebrae
what are the 3 regions of the thoracic cavity?
- mediastinum
- left pleural cavity
- right pleural cavity
what is the mediastinum?
- central compartment of thoracic cavity
- situated between lungs
what is mediastinum superior to?
superior thoracic aperture
what is mediastinum inferior to?
diaphragm
what is mediastinum anterior to?
sternum and costal cartilages
what is the mediastinum posterior to?
thoracic vertebrae
what does the mediastinum consist of?
- hollow visceral structures joined by loose connective tissue
what is the sternal angle?
- the joint between the manubrium (top) and the body (middle) of sternum
where is the thoracic plane ‘drawn’?
horizontal plane drawn from sternal anal to level between T4 and T5
what 2 compartments does the thoracic plane split the mediastinum into?
- superior mediastinum
- inferior mediastinum
what is the inferior mediastinum further divided into?
- anterior
- middle
- posterior
drawings
what features does the superior mediastinum contain?
- oesophagus
- trachea
- neurovasculature: arch of aorta, superior vena cava, phrenic nerves, vagus nerves, thoracic duct, sympathetic chains
what features does the anterior mediastinum contain?
- mainly consists of fat and the thymus
what does the middle mediastinum contain?
- contains the heart and pericardium
- contains root of great vessels, phrenic nerves, vagus nerves
what does the posterior mediastinum contain?
- descending aorta and branches
- oesophagus
- thoracic duct
- azygos system of veins
- sympathetic chains
what structure features in both inferior and superior mediastinum?
oesophagus
what is the azygos system of veins?
- H shaped configuration of the azygos, hemiazygos and accessory hemiazygos veins
- drains the posterior thoracic wall
what are the sympathetic chains?
- external to spinal column
- adjacent to vertebral bodies
- paired structure (one on each side of body)
- also known as sympathetic trunk
what is the thoracic duct?
- main lymphatic vessel for return of chyle/lymph to systemic venous system
- drains lymph from both lower limbs, abdomen, left hemithorax, left upper limb, left side of face and neck
what is the thymus?
- T cell producing lymphoid organ
- plays role in development of immune system (maturation of T cells)
what is the phrenic nerve?
- paired nerve
- supplies the diaphragm
- comes from nerve roots C3. 4 and 5
what is the vagus nerve?
- tenth cranial nerve (CNX)
- paired
- provides bulk of parasympathetic input to gastrointestinal system and heart
- complex mixed sensory, motor and parasympathetic nerve
what is the pericardium?
membrane that covers the heart
where is the pericardium positioned?
within the middle mediastinum of the thorax
what 2 layers does the pericardium consist of?
- outer fibrous layer
- inner thin serous layer
what is the structure of the fibrous/outer layer?
- continuous with great vessels adventitia (aorta and pulmonary trunk)
- blended inferiorly with central tendon of diaphragm
- rigid structure
what is the structure of the serous pericardium?
- contained within the fibrous pericardial sac
- analogous to the pleural membrane
- double layer
- lubricating fluid between layers to reduce friction caused by heart contraction
what are the two layers of the serous pericardium?
- visceral layer (epicardium) -> inner layer of serous pericardium
- parietal layer -> outer layer that lines the fibrous pericardium
what are the 4 functions of the pericardium?
- protection from infection
- fixes the heart in the mediastinum and limits its motion
- lubrication
- prevents rapid overfilling of the heart
how does the pericardium protect the body from infection?
- fibrous later serves as physical barrier between muscular body of heart and adjacent organs prone to disease
how does the pericardium fix the heart in position?
- its attached to the diaphragm, sternum and outer layer of great vessels to fix heart in place
how does the pericardium allow lubrication?
- serous pericardium and small amount of serous fluid within pericardial cavity reduces friction between heart and surrounding structures
how does the pericardium prevent rapid overfilling of the heart?
- fibrous layer of pericardium prevents heart from increasing in size too rapidly
- places physical limit on potential organ size
what is cardiac tamponade?
- where blood or fluid accumulates the pericardium
- causes compression of the heart, preventing the ventricles from expanding fully and impeding its blood supply
- potentially fatal
what is cardiac tamponade a result of?
- pericarditis caused by either a bacterial or viral infection
- trauma where damage to heart/vessels causes pericardium to fill with blood
- end stage lung cancer, heart surgery, dissecting aortic aneurysm
what is the treatment of cardiac tamponade?
- immediate hospitalisation where pericardiocentesis is performed where fluid is drained from pericardium to reduce pressure
define pericarditis
inflammation of pericardium
how does dissection of aortic aneurysm occur?
- when tear occurs in inner layer of bodys main artery
- blood rushes through tear causing inner and middle layers of aorta to split
what is acute myocardial infarction?
- life threatening condition that occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is abruptly cut off (heart attack)
what is pericardiocentesis?
- a procedure done to remove fluid that has built up in the sac around the heart (pericardium)
- done using needle and small catheter to drain excess fluid
what are the great vessels of the right side of the heart?
- superior vena cava
- inferior vena cava
- pulmonary tank
what is the function of the superior vena cava?
- brings deoxygenated blood to right atrium from systemic circulation superior to heart
what is the function of the inferior vena cava?
- brings deoxygenated blood to right atrium from systemic circulation inferior to the heart
what is the function of the pulmonary trunk?
- exits the right ventricle
- takes deoxygenated blood to the lungs
- bifurcates into right and left pulmonary arteries
what are the great vessels of the left side of the heart?
- pulmonary veins
- aorta
what is the function of the pulmonary veins?
- they enter the left atrium on posterior aspect of heart
- carry oxygenated blood from pulmonary circulation
what are the 4 pulmonary veins?
- left superior and left inferior
- right superior and right inferior
what is the function of the aorta?
- leaves the heart
- carries high pressure
- carries oxygenated blood to the body in systemic circulation
what forms the anterior (sternocostal) surface?
- formed mostly from the right ventricles
- surface is related anteriorly to sternum and ribs
what forms the inferior (diaphragmatic) surface?
- mostly the left ventricle, partly from the right ventricle
- related inferiorly to centre of diaphragm
what forms the left (pulmonary) surface?
- mostly by the left ventricle
- related laterally with left lung
- occupies a depression in lung known as cardiac impression
where is the base of the heart located?
- on the posterior aspect
- directed towards vertebrae T6-9
what forms the base of the heart?
- from left and right atrium
- extends from bifurcation of pulmonary trunk superiorly to atrioventricular groove (depression between atrium and ventricle on each side of heart) inferiorly
where does the apex of the heart lie?
- posterior to 5th intercostal space in midclavicular line
- directed antero-inferiorly and to the left
what are the 4 borders of the heart?
- right
- inferior
- left
- superior
what is the right border formed by?
- right atrium
- extends from superior to inferior vena cava
what is the inferior border formed by?
- roughly horizontal
- formed mostly by the right ventricle
-small contribution by left ventricle
what is the left border formed by?
- left ventricle
- superior portion formed by auricular appendage of left atrium
what is the superior border formed by?
- both atria
- aorta and pulmonary trunk arise from this border
where does superior vena cava enter heart?
- right side of superior border
what is the sternal angle?
- joint between manibrium of the sternum and the sternal body
what is the position of the superior border of the heart?
- reaches third costal cartilage on right side of sternum
- and second intercostal space on left side of sternum
what is the position of the right margin of the heart?
- extends from right third costal cartilage to near the right sixth costal cartilage
what is the position of the left margin of the heart?
- descends lateral from the second intercostal space to the apex
- located near the midclavicular line in 5th intercostal space
what is the position of the lower margin of the heart?
- extends from sternal end of right 6th costal cartilage to apex in 5th intercostal space
what are the different layers of the heart?
- epicardium
- myocardium
- endocardium
what does the epicardium consist of?
- layer of connective tissue
- provides protective layer over the heart
what does the myocardium consist of?
- myocytes or cardiac muscle cells
- muscular component of heart wall
what does the endocardium consist of?
- epithelium and connective tissue fibres that line heart and cover heart valves
- continuous with endothelial lining of blood vessels
what are the features of cardiac muscle?
- straited muscle
- not under voluntary control
what does cardiac muscle contraction rely on?
- sliding filament mechanism between thick and thin muscle filaments of sarcomeres
what is the difference between cardiac and skeletal muscle?
- cardiac muscle cells = highly branched, interconnecting network of fibres
why are cardiac muscle cells interconnected?
- allows heart to operate as functional syncytium
- whole heart contracts when one part is electrically stimulated
what physically divides the cardiac cells?
- sarcolemma (around fibrils)
- intercalated discs (between the cells)
what do intercalated discs separate?
- sarcoplasm of adjacent cardiac muscle cells
what allows the discs to be held together?
- action of desmosomes
what are desmosomes?
- specialised structure of cell membrane that allows adhesion to anchor neighbouring cells together
what do intercalated discs allow to pass through?
- electrical excitation between the cells through gap junctions
what is the fibrous skeleton of the heart?
- where the cardiac muscle is anchored to for support
what is the fibrous skeleton made up of?
- dense collagen (network forms 4 fibrous rings to surround valve openings)
- 2 fibrous trigones (triangles that lie between rings)
- provides membranous parts of interatrial and inter ventricular septa
what is the purpose of the fibrous skeleton?
- prevents valve openings from collapsing or distending
- provides base for attachment for leaflets and cusps of valves
- forms electrical barrier between atria and ventricles preventing contraction together
what are the 4 chambers of the heart?
- right atrium
- right ventricle
- left atrium
- left ventricle
where do the atria lie?
- superior to the ventricles
- separated by intertribal septum
what does the right atrium fill with?
- deoxygenated blood from systemic circulation
what does the left atrium fill with?
- oxygenated blood from pulmonary circulation
where does blood move once in atria?
to the ventricles
which ventricle is more muscular and why?
- left
- has to pump blood around whole body
what divides the ventricles?
- inter ventricular septum
what are the atria?
- thin walled chambers that receive blood from circulatory system
which circulation drains into left atrium?
- pulmonary circulation
- through pulmonary veins
where does the systemic circulation drain into?
- right atrium
- through superior and inferior vena cava
is ventricular filling active or passive?
- passive
- because atria don’t contract until the end of diastole
what is essential during exercise?
- line up of atrial contraction and speed up of ventricular filling
- allows increased rate of ventricular contraction
what are the features of the right atrium?
- atrioventricular orifice (right)
- atrioventricular node
- crista terminalis
- fossa ovalis
- interatrial septum
- opening of coronary sinus
- pectinate muscles
- right auricle
- sinoatrial node
- sulcus terminalis
what is the atrioventricular orifice (right)?
- the aperture in which blood flows from the right atrium to the right ventricle
- where the tricuspid valve is positioned
what is the atrioventricular node?
- the electrical relay station between the atria and ventricles
- located in the posteroinferior region of the interatrial septum near the opening of the coronary sinus
what is crista terminalis?
- means terminal crest
- the origin of the pectinate muscles
- the sulcus terminalis (on the external surface) acts as a surface marking for the internal crista terminalis
what is the fossa ovalis?
- embryological remnant of the foramen ovale (hole between the 2 atria in a foetal heart)
what is the interatrial septum?
- the fibromuscular wall between the left and right atrium
- where the fossa ovalis and AV node is located
what is the opening of the coronary sinus?
- the main cardiac vein
- where the deoxygenated blood drained from the heart returns to the heart’s circulation
what are the pectinate muscles?
- meaning comb like
- parallel ridges in the wall of the atrium
what is the right auricle?
- also known as right atrial appendage
- muscular pouch the acts to increase capacity of atrium
what is the sinoatrial node?
- pacemaker of heart
- located in posterior wall of right atrium
- inferolateral to opening of superior vena cava
-along superior part of crista terminalis
what is the sulcus terminalis?
- shallow depression marking point of fusion between venous part of right atrium and true right atrium
- crista terminalis sits on internal surface of this structure