Control of CV System and Cardiac Cycle Flashcards
What are the functions of the nervous system?
- Transport of nutrients, oxygen, waste products around the body
- Transfer of heat
- Buffers body pH
- Transport of hormones
- Assists in response to infection
- Assists in formation of urine filtration and circulation
What sounds should we hear when listening to the heart?
- 2 sounds:
- One; sound of AV valves closing
- Two; sound of pulmonary valve and aortic valves closing
What can heart sounds be used for?
Good diagnostic indicator of problems
What should heart sounds not be confused with?
Korotkoff sounds; what you hear when measuring blood pressure using a stethoscope
Clinically, what may a 3rd heart sound may be down to?
Oscillation of blood flow into ventricle
Tensing of chordae tendinae
Various disease states (HF, valve defects etc.)
What is the sequence of the cardiac cycle?
- Artrial systole begins: atrial contraction forces blood into ventricles.
- Ventricular Systole: ventricular contraction pushes AV valves closed, semilunar valves open and blood is pushed out of heart.
- Caridac diastole: semilunar valves close. Blood chambers of the heart relax and fill with blood once more, continuing the cycle.
Are ventricles fully emptied during the cardiac cycle?
No, some EDV remains
What is the stroke volume and can this be increased?
Stroke volume = amount ejected per beat
Can be increased under certain circumstances (Starling’s Law)
What is the standard cardiac output and how can it be calculated?
Cardiac output (CO) = SV x HR Normally around 5L/min (each side)
How is a contraction of the heart started?
The sinoatrial node (SA node) in the top of the right atrium sets the rate at which the heart contracts.
It sends out electrical impulses to do this.
At the start it causes atrial systole.
What is the pathway of the electrical impulse produced by the SA node?
The impulse then passes to the atrioventricular node (AV) in the lower part of the right atrium.
It then progresses past the bundle of HIS and septum.
It is then passed to the purkinje fibres which travel down the central wall of the heart and the impulse splits left and right, up to the ventricles (causing them to contract simultaneously). (Ventricular Systole)
What must conduction of heart beat be?
Rapid and co-ordinated
What are the pacemaker cells of the heart and their roles?
SA node = has the fastest intrinsic rate, so is hearts natural pacemaker.
AV node = slows conductions and can act as a secondary pacemaker if required.
Millions of purkinje fibres = interdiditate with myocytes to spread impulse across ventricles - excitation contraction (EC) coupling.
What are some clinical problems that may arise from problems with conduction of impulses in heart?
- Arrythmias, ectopic beats, tachycardia, bradycardia, fibrillation ; problems with conduction of impulses across heart lead to abberant heartbeat often the result of ischaemic damage to the tissue.
- Bundle branch block (BBB)
- Heart block (1’, 2’, 3’)
What does an ECG do?
Detects phasic change in potential difference between 2 electrodes: -on surface of heart
- on limbs
- recorded on a computer/ paper/ oscilloscope