Chapter 20: Cardiovascular System and Heart Flashcards
The anterior surface of the heart is:
Deep to the sternum and ribs.
The inferior surface of the heart is:
Between the apex and right surface, and rests mostly on the diaphragm.
The valves of the heart are composed of:
Dense connective tissue covered by endocardium.
Pericardium.
Membrane that surrounds and protects the heart. Confines the heart to its position in the mediastinum while allowing sufficient freedom of movement for vigorous and rapid contraction.
Fibrous pericardium.
Superficial. Tough inelastic dense irregular connective tissue. Resembles a bag that rests on and attaches to the diaphragm. Open end is fused to connective tissue of the blood vessels entering and leaving the heart. Prevents overstitching of the heart. Provides protection. Anchors heart to mediastinum. Movement of diaphragm during deep breathing facilitates movement of blood by the heart.
Serous pericardium.
Deep. Thin delicate membrane. Forms a double layer around the heart. Between the parietal and visceral serous layers is a thin film of lubricating serous fluid called pericardial fluid that reduces friction between layers as the heart moves. The space that contains this pericardial fluid is the pericardial cavity.
Outer layer of serous pericardium.
Parietal. Fused to fibrous pericardium.
Inner layer of serous pericardium.
Visceral. Epicardium. One of the layers of the heart wall. Adheres tightly to heart surface.
Epicardium.
Outer layer of heart wall. Composed of two tissue layers. Creates a smooth slippery texture to the outermost surface of the heart. Contains blood vessels, lymphatics, and vessels that supply the myocardium.
Describe the two tissue layers of the epicardium.
Visceral layer: outer, thin, transparent, composed of mesothelium. Beneath the mesothelium is a variable layer of delicate fibroelastic tissue and adipose tissue. This adipose tissue becomes thickest over the ventricular surfaces where it houses the major coronary and cardiac vessels.
Myocardium.
Middle layer of heart wall. Responsible for the pumping action of the heart. Composed of cardiac muscle tissue. Makes up 95% of heart wall. Muscle fibres are wrapped and bundled with connective tissue sheaths composed of endomysium and perimysium. Striated muscle fibres are organized in bundles that swirl diagonally around the heart and generate pumping actions.
Endocardium.
Inner layer of heart wall. Thin layer of endothelium overlying a thin layer of connective tissue. Provides a smooth lining for the chambers of the heart, and covers the valves of the heart. Minimizes surface friction as blood passes through the heart. Continuous with endothelial lining of large blood vessels.
Atria.
Two superior chambers that receive blood from veins.
Ventricles.
Two inferior chambers that eject blood into arteries.
Auricle.
On the anterior surface of each atrium. Wrinkled pouch that increases the capacity of the atrium.
Sulci.
Contain coronary blood vessels and fat on the surface of the heart. Each sulcus marks the external boundary between two chambers of the heart.
Coronary sulcus.
Deep groove that encircles most of the heart. Marks the external boundary between atria and ventricles.
Anterior interventricular sulcus.
Shallow groove on anterior surface of heart. Marks external boundary between right and left ventricles on anterior aspect of heart.
Posterior interventricular sulcus.
Anterior interventricular sulcus continues around to the posterior side. Marks the external boundary between right and left ventricles on posterior aspect of heart.
Right atrium.
Forms right surface of heart. Receives blood from superior vena cava, inferior vena cava and coronary sinus. The inside of the posterior wall is smooth. The inside of the anterior wall is rough due to pectinate muscles.
Interatrial septum.
Thin partition between right and left atrium.
Fossa ovalis.
Oval depression. Opening in interatrial septum of the fetal heart that usually closes after birth.
Tricuspid valve.
Right atrioventricular valve. Blood passes from right atrium to right ventricle through this valve.
Right ventricle.
Forms most of the anterior surface of the heart. The inside contains a series of ridges formed by trabeculae carneae, which convey part of the conduction system of the heart. The cusps of the tricuspid valve are connected to chordae tendineae which are connected to cone-shaped trabeculae carneae called papillary muscles.
Interventricular septum.
Between right and left ventricles.
Pulmonary valve.
Semilunar valve. Blood passes from the right ventricle into the pulmonary trunk through this valve. This divides into right and left pulmonary arteries, and carries blood to lungs.
Left atrium.
Forms most of base of heart. Receives blood from the lungs through 4 pulmonary veins. The inside has a smooth posterior wall and anterior wall.
Bicuspid valve.
Left atrioventricular valve. Blood passes from left atrium to left ventricle through this valve.
Left ventricle.
Thickest chamber. Forms the apex of the heart. Contains trabeculae carneae. Has chordae tendineae that anchor the cusps of the bicuspid valve to papillary muscles.
Aortic valve.
Semilunar valve. Blood passes from left ventricle into ascending aorta through this valve. Some of the blood in the aorta flows to coronary arteries which branch from ascending aorta to carry blood to heart wall. The remainder of the blood in the aorta passes into the arch and descending aorta to carry blood throughout the body.
Ductus arteriosus.
A temporary blood vessel present in fetal life. Shunts blood from pulmonary trunk into aorta so only a small amount of blood enters their non-functioning fetal lungs. The vessel normally closes after birth, leaving the ligamentum arteriosum, which connects the arch of the aorta and pulmonary trunk.
The thickness of the myocardium of the chambers varies accordingly to:
The chamber function. The thin-walled atria deliver blood under less pressure. The thick-walled ventricles pump blood under high pressure and over greater distances.
Fibrous skeleton of heart.
Consists of 4 dense connective tissue rings that surround the valves of the heart, fuse with one another, and merge with the interventricular septum. Prevents overstitching of the valves. Serves as a point of insertion for bundles of cardiac muscle fibres. Act as an electrical insulator between atria and ventricles.
Atrioventricular valves (AV).
Tricuspid and bicuspid. When an AV valve is open, the rounded ends of the cusps project into the ventricle. When the ventricles are relaxed, the papillary muscles are relaxed, the chordae tendineae are slack, and blood moves from a higher pressure in the atria to a lower pressure in the ventricles through open AV valves. When the ventricles contract, the pressure of the blood drives the cusps upward until their edges meet and close. Papillary muscles also contract, tightening the chordae tendineae to prevent the cusps from everting (opening into atria).
Semilunar valves (SL).
Aortic and pulmonary. Made of 3 crescent moon-shaped cusps, where each cusp attaches to the arterial wall. Allows ejection of blood from heart into arteries and prevents backflow of blood into ventricles. The free borders of the cusps project into the lumen of the artery. When the ventricles contract, pressure builds up within the chambers –> SL valves open when pressure in ventricles exceeds pressure in arteries –> permitting ejection of blood from ventricles into pulmonary trunk and aorta. As the ventricles relax, blood flows back toward the heart –> this back flowing blood fills the valve cusps which causes the free edges of the SL valves to contact each other tightly and close the opening between the ventricle and artery.
Where are there no valves?
Guarding the junctions between the venae cavea and right atrium, or pulmonary veins and left atrium. As the atrium contract, a small amount of blood flows backward from atria into these vessels. Backflow is minimized by a different mechanism: as atrial muscle contracts, it compresses and nearly collapses the weak walls of the venous entry points.
Systemic circulation.
Left side of heart receives bright red oxygenated blood from lungs –> LV ejects blood into aorta –> divides into separate streams entering progressively smaller systemic arteries –> carry blood throughout the body –> exchange of nutrients and gases through capillary walls –> unloads O2 and picks up CO2 –> blood flows back to right atrium through systemic veins.
Pulmonary circulation.
Right side of heart receives dark red deoxygenated blood returning from systemic circulation –> RV ejects blood into pulmonary trunk –> branches into pulmonary arteries –> lungs –> blood unloads CO2 for exhalation and picks up O2 from inhalation –> pulmonary veins –> flows back to left atrium.
Coronary circulation.
The network of blood vessels that supplies the myocardium. Coronary arteries branch from ascending aorta and encircle the heart. When heart contracts, little blood flows in the coronary arteries because they are squeezed shut. When heart relaxes, the high pressure of blood in the aorta propels blood through coronary arteries –> capillaries –> coronary veins.
Left and right coronary arteries branch from:
Ascending aorta, and supply oxygenated blood to myocardium.
Left coronary artery.
Passes inferior to the left auricle and divides into anterior interventricular and circumflex branches. Anterior interventricular branch (left anterior descending artery) is in the anterior interventricular sulcus, and supplies oxygenated blood to walls of ventricles. Circumflex branch is in coronary sulcus, and supplies oxygenated blood to walls of left ventricle and left atrium.
Right coronary artery.
Passes inferior to right auricle and divides into posterior interventricular and marginal branches. Posterior interventricular branch follows posterior interventricular sulcus, and supplies oxygenated blood to walls of ventricles. Marginal branch follows the right margin of the heart, and supplies oxygenated blood to the wall of the right ventricle. Also supplies small branches to right atrium.
The heart muscle may receive sufficient oxygen even if one of its coronary arteries is partially blocked.
True.
Most deoxygenated blood from the myocardium drains into:
Coronary sinus. In coronary sulcus on posterior surface of heart. Empties into right atrium.
Cardiac muscle fibres.
Short, less circular, one centrally located nucleus, many large mitochondria, wider transverse tubules. The ends of cardiac muscle fibres connect to neighbouring fibres by intercalated discs, which contain desmosomes and gap junctions.
Desmosomes.
Hold fibres together.