CVS Flashcards
What branches come from the LCA?
Anterior interventricular branch
Circumflex branch
Left marginal branch
Lateral branch
What branches come from the RCA?
Posterior interventricular branch
Sino-atrial nodal branch
AV nodal branch
Right marginal branch
What does the SAnodal branch supply?
Pulmonary trunk, SAN
What does the right marginal branch supply?
RV, apex
What does the AV nodal branch supply?
AVN
What does the posterior interventricular branch supply?
The posterior 1/3 of the IVS, LV and RV
What does the anterior interventricular branch supply?
LV, RV and anterior 2/3 of interventricular septum
What does the left marginal branch supply?
LV
What does the circumflex branch supply?
LA, LV
Which coronary arteries anastomose?
The posterior and anterior interventricular branches
The circumflex and the RCA
Both marginal branches with the IV branches
What and when is isovolumetric relaxation in the cardiac cycle?
It is when the ventricles are relaxing after systole and both the atrioventricular and outflow valves are closed (as arterial pressure > ventricular pressure > atrial pressure) so the volume of blood in the ventricles stays the same.
What and when is isovolumetric contraction?
This is when the ventricles are starting to contract in systole, so pressure is rising. All valves are closed because ventricular pressure is > atrial but < arterial so volume of blood in the ventricles remains constant.
Explain the heart sounds.
1st heart sound = LUB
–> occurs due to closing of atrioventricular valves as ventricular pressure > atrial = systole is beginning.
2nd heart sound = DUB
–> occurs due to closing of outflow valves as arterial pressure > ventricular
What can a “whoosh” between the two normal heart sounds represent?
Aortic or pulmonary stenosis/incompetence causing turbulent blood flow
Describe the inside of the left atrium.
- large smooth wall which 4 pulmonary veins enter
- smaller muscular wall formed from pectinate muscles
Describe the inside of the right atrium.
Posterior smooth wall where coronary sinus and vena cava enter.
Anterior wall formed from pectinate muscles.
Fossa ovalis (remnant of the foramen ovalis)
What is the function of the right auricle?
It allows the atria to increase its capacity
Describe the right ventricle.
Tricuspid valve with 3 cusps.
Smooth wall around area of outflow valve
Other wall is muscular (known as trabeculae carnae)
What valve is present in the LV and how many cusps does it have?
The mitral valve with 2 cusps
How are the cusps held in the hearts ventricles and how do they work?
Attached to papillary muscles via chordae tendinae. The papillary muscles contract prior to systole to close the cusps and prevent backflow.
What are the 4 shunts in foetal circulation and their remnants in an adult?
Ductus arteriosus - between PT and aorta, becomes ligamentum arteriosum
Ductus venosus - bypass of the liver, becomes ligamentum venosum
Foramen ovale - from RA to LA, becomes fossa ovalis
Umbilical vein - from mothers circulation to foetal, becomes ligamentum teres.
How does birth rid of foetal shunts?
Placental support removed
High pO2 causes contraction of ductus arteriosus
Ductus venosus simply closes
LA pressure increases as blood starts to flow to lungs upon breathing = LA pressure > RA = septum primum pushed against secundum, causing closure of foramen ovale.
How does atrial septation occur?
Septum primum grows down to endocardial cushions with osmium primum inside.
Ostium secundum opens and primum closes
Septum secundum grows, which the foramen ovale in it
= channel for passage formed
How does ventricular septation occur?
Muscular portion grows up towards the endocardial cushions, leaving a small space known as the primary interventricular foramen.
CT derived from the endocardial cushions then grows down to the muscular portion to form the membranous portion.
How does conotruncal septation occur?
Endocardial cushions form in the truncus arteriosus, and grow towards each other to form a spiral septum.
What do the parts of the heart tube become in the adult?
Bulbis cordis –> trabeculated wall of RV, outflow tracts, great vessels.
Ventricle –> LV
Atrium –> auricles of atria
Sinus venosus –> smooth wall of RA
Describe the order of the branches of the aorta.
Brachiocephalic trunk (gives subclavian and common carotid)
Left common carotid (gives external and internal, external gives maxillary and facial arteries)
Left subclavian
Thoracic/descending aorta
Celiac trunk
Supra renal artery
Superior mesenteric artery
Renal arteries
Testicular/ovarian arteries
Inferior mesenteric artery
Common iliac artery (gives internal and external)
Describe the order of the veins, R to L in the body.
Superior vena cava
R. Brachiocephalic (gives branch to arm, external then internal jugular)
L. Brachiocephalic
Hepatic veins
Renal veins
Testicular/ovarian veins (the L stems from hepatic vein)
Common iliac vein (gives nterval and external)
What are the nuclei like n cardiac muscle?
Single and central
What is the function of intercalated discs?
Hold cells together via desmosomes and contain gap junctions which form non selective ion channels = spread of electrical activity.
Describe and explain a ventricular action potentials shape.
1) . Upstroke = depolarisation causes v-gated Na+ channels to open and Na+ to influx
2) . This is followed by a sharp drop, as Na+ channels inactivate so no more influxes, and K+ channels open = efflux of K+
3) . Plateau phase occurs where Ca2+ L type (v-gated) channels open, meaning inflow of Ca2+ is balancing out efflux of K+.
4) . Ca2+ channels close and K+ continues to efflux = repolarisation.
From -90mV to 30mV
Upstroke to repolarisation takes ~280ms
Describe and explain the shape of an action potential in the SAN.
1) . Funny current slowly increasing, as more HCN channels open as the membrane becomes less negative = influx of Na+
2) . Na+ influx reaches threshold and causes v-gated Ca2+ channels to open = influx and upstroke.
3) . K+ channels open and efflux allows repolarisation.
Funny current takes ~600ms
Upstroke to repolarisation takes ~200ms
How does the heart contract?
1). Depolarisation = opens L-type Ca2+ channels
—> Ca2+ influx
2). Ca2+ influx acts upon ryanodine receptors to open calcium induced calcium release channels
= Ca2+ release from SR.
3). Calcium binds to troponin C to cause a conformational change that reveals myosin binding site.
4). Myosin head binds to actin binding site, releasing a Pi that strengthens the bond.
5). ADP released which allows power stroke to occur
6). ATP binds to the head, allowing the head to detach from the actin binding site
7). ATP hydrolysis allows the ATP to re-cock and prepare for next stroke.
How does the Ca2+ in the heart return to resting levels?
1) . Pumped into SR by SERCA (high affinity, high capacity) pumping Ca2+ in using ATP
2) . Pumped out of the cell altogether by NCX (low affinity, high capacity) or PMCA (high affinity, low capacity)
How does vascular smooth muscle contract?
1) . Actin and myosin are bound to dense bodies in the smooth muscle cells
2) . Ca2+ influx via L type channels and via action of GalphaQ producing IP3
3) . Ca2+ binds to calmodulin to form a complex
4) . Complex acts on MLCK to activate it
5) . MLCK phosphorylates the light chain of the myosin head, so it can now bind to actin.
6) . MLCP deactivates this by dephosphorylating the head
Describe the activity of MLCK and MLCP.
MLCK - activated
MLCP - constituently active
What does lateral folding of the embryo achieve?
It brings the cardiogenic fields and blood islands together to form the heart tube
What order are the parts of the embryonic heart tube?
Aortic roots Truncus arteriosus Bulbus cordis Ventricle Atrium Sinus venosus
Why does looping occur?
To allow further growth of the heart into the pericardial cavity
What occurs in folding?
The cephalic portion moves caudally, ventrally and right.
The caudal portion moves cranially, dorsally and left.
What does looping achieve?
- it places the outflow section ventral to the inflow by placing atrium dorsal to bulbis cordis.
- primordium of right ventricle closest to outflow
- primordium of left ventricle closest to inflow