Definition List for Cardiology Anatomy

Question 1

Anastomosis

Answer 1

A communication between two arteries or its branches without any intervening capillary network

Question 2

Aorta

Answer 2

the main artery, from which all others are dervied

Question 3

Auricle

Answer 3

small ear shaped pouch, which is part of the wall of each atrium of the heart.

Auricle forms the lid like covering of each atrium

Question 4

Brachiocephalic artery (innominate artery)

Answer 4

• a short artery originating as the first large branch of the aortic arch
• passes upward to the right and ending at the lower neck near the right sternoclavicular joint
• divides into the right common carotid and the right subclavian arteries

Question 5

Coronary arteries

Answer 5

• the arteries supplying oxygenated blood to the heart wall itself
• the right and left coronary arteries arise from the aorta, just above the aortic valve, and forms branches encircling the heart

Question 6

Common Carotid Artery

Answer 6

either of the two main arteries (right and left) in the neck, whose branches supply the head and the neck

Question 7

Coronary Sinus

Answer 7

the largest vein of the hear, which drains the venous blood from the myocardium into the right atrium

Question 8

Diastole

Answer 8

die = relax
heart muscle relaxes and allows the chambers to fill with blood

Question 9

Pericaridum

Answer 9

the membrane surrounding the heart, consisting of two different layers: outer fibrous and inner serous

Question 10

Phrenic nerve

Answer 10

• supplies sensory and motor fibres to the diaphragm
• on each side it arises in the neck from the ventral rami of 3,4,5 cervical spinal roots (C3,4,5) and passes downwards between the lungs and the heart to reach the diaphragm

Question 11

plexus

Answer 11

network of nerves

Question 12

Regurgitation

Answer 12

the flowing back of blood (a liquid) in a direction opposite to the normal one

Question 13

Sinoatrial node

Answer 13

• pacemaker of the heart
• microscopic area of specialised cardiac muscle located in the upper wall of the right atrium near the entry of the superior vena cava
• fibers of the SA node are self-excitatory, contracting rhythmically

Question 14

Stenosis

Answer 14

the abnormal narrowing of a passage or opening, such as a blood vessel or heart valve

Question 15

Vagus Nerve

Answer 15

• Cranial nerve X (10)
• supplies motor nerve fibres to the muscles of swallowing and parasympathetic fibres to the heart and organs of the chest cavity and abdomen
• sensory branches of the vagus nerve carry impulses from the viscera and the sensation of taste in the mouth