Chapter 01 Flashcards
Ventricle
Lower chamber of the heart
Atrium
Upper chamber of the heart
Coronary sulcus
The atrioventricular groove that surrounds the outside of the heart and divides the atria from the ventricles
Mediastinum
The central section of the thorax (chest cavity)
Pericardium
Closed, two layer sac that surrounds the heart
Pericarditis
An inflammation of the serous pericardium
Epicardium
The smooth outer surface of the heart
Myocardium
The thick middle layer of the heart composed primarily of cardiac muscle cells and responsible for the hearts ability to contract
Endocardium
The innermost layer of the heart; composed of thin connective tissue
Tricuspid valve
Named for its three cusps; located between the right atrium and the right ventricle
Chordae tendineae
Fine chords of dense connective tissue that attach to papillary muscles in the wall of the ventricles
Mitral (bicuspid) valve
Similar in structure to the tricuspid valve but with only two cusps and is located between the left atrium and the left ventricle
Semilunar valves
Serve to prevent the back flow of blood into the ventricles, each valve containing three semilunar (or moon shaped) cusps
Pulmonic valve
The semilunar valve located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery
Aortic valve
The semilunar valve located between left ventricle and the trunk of the aorta
Arteries
Thick walled and muscular blood vessels that function under high pressure to convey blood from the heart out to the rest of the body
coronary arteries
the two main arteries that arise from the trunk of the aorta and function to carry oxygenated blood throughout the myocardium
coronary circulation
the process by which oxygenated blood is distributed throughout the heart muscle
coronary sinus
(also referred to as the “great cardiac vein”) a short trunk that that serve to receive deoxygenated blood from the veins of the myocardium
veins
blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart, operate under low pressure, and are relatively thin walled
superior vena cava
drains blood from the head and neck
inferior vena cava
collects blood from the rest of the body
capillaries
tiny blood vessels that allow for the exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and waste products between the blood and body tissues; “connectors” between the arteries and veins
circulation
movement through a course (the body) that leads back to the initial point (the heart)
pulmonary circulation
when blood leaves the heart through the right ventricle and travels into the pulmonary artery to the lungs and back through the pulmonary veins to the left atrium
tissues perfusion
refers to gas exchange within the alveolar capillary membranes in the lungs
systemic circulation
the circulation of blood as it leaves the left ventricle and travels through the arteries, capillaries, and veins of the entire body system and back tot he primary receptacle of the heart (the right atrium)
