Circulatory Pathways Study Guide

Question 1

which side of the heart is responsible for pumping blood into which circulatory loop

Answer 1

Left side - systemic circuit pump
Right side - pulmonary circuit pump

Question 2

how and why the left side of the heart structurally differs from the right in terms of size

Answer 2

• Pulmonary circuit (right side) is short and low pressure
• Systemic circuit (left side) is longer and has higher resistance
• Left side is bigger because it has to push the blood much further than the right side, despite both sides moving the same volume of blood. It has higher resistance/pressure and therefore thicker walls

Question 3

major branches off the ascending aorta

Answer 3

R&L coronary arteries

Question 4

major branches off the top of the aortic arch

Answer 4

brachiocephalic trunk, L common carotid artery, L subclavian artery

Question 5

major branches off the top of the descending aorta

Answer 5

all other systemic arteries

Question 6

blood is oxygenated or deoxygenated in the pulmonary trunk/arteries and pulmonary veins?

Answer 6

Pulmonary trunk/arteries are deoxygenated
Pulmonary veins are oxygenated

Question 7

What is the function of coronary circulation?

Answer 7

functional blood supply to the myocardium.

Question 8

Where do the coronary vessels exist on the surface of the heart

Answer 8

The coronary vessels exist in the epicardium.

Question 9

Anterior interventricular artery

Answer 9

follows the anterior interventricular sulcus, supplies blood to the anterior walls of both ventricles + interventricular septum “widow maker”
- branch of left coronary artery

Question 10

Circumflex artery

Answer 10

supplies left atrium and posterior wall of left ventricle
- branch of left coronary artery

Question 11

Right marginal artery

Answer 11

supplies the myocardium of the lateral right side of the heart
- branch of R coronary artery

Question 12

Posterior interventricular artery

Answer 12

supplies the apex of the heart and the posterior ventricular walls
- branch of R coronary artery

Question 13

medical condition resulting from a partial or complete blockage in coronary circulation

Answer 13

Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
- Myocardial cells are cut off from blood supply and die
- Dead cells are replaced by noncontractile scar tissue

Question 14

How is an MI typically diagnosed? What are some treatment options?

Answer 14

on an EKG
Treatment options: aspirin, clot busters, blood thinners, beta blockers

Question 15

When is the myocardium perfused

Answer 15

During ventricular diastole

Question 16

anastomosis

Answer 16

Cross connection between adjacent channels (like circle of willis) – there are many anastomoses between coronary and arterial branches – these provide collateral routes and important redundancy, but they cannot compensate for coronary artery occlusion

Question 17

3 main tributaries to the coronary sinus

Answer 17

Great cardiac vein
Middle cardiac vein
Small cardiac vein

Question 18

Great cardiac vein location

Answer 18

from the anterior interventricular sulcus

Question 19

Middle cardiac vein

Answer 19

from the posterior interventricular sulcus

Question 20

Small cardiac vein

Answer 20

from the right inferior margin

Question 21

where/what is the coronary sinus? Where does it empty its blood?

Answer 21

Cardiac veins merge to form the coronary sinus, which drains into the right atrium

Question 22

angina pectoris

Answer 22

• Thoracic pain caused by fleeting deficiency in blood supply to myocardium
• Causes: increased physical demands on heart (such as exercise), stress induced spasms of the coronary arteries
• Myocardial cells will be weakened, but not die