Gross Anatomy of The Heart Flashcards
What is the primary function of the heart?
To collect deoxygenated blood, carry it to the lungs for oxygenation, and distribute oxygenated blood to the body.
How much blood does the heart pump in a day?
Around 7,200 litres.
Where is the heart located?
At the centre of the chest, slightly towards the left.
How many times does the heart beat on average in a day?
About 100,000 times.
What is the average heart rate for adults?
60 to 80 beats per minute.
What is the heart rate range for newborn babies?
70 to 190 beats per minute.
What is the anatomical position of the apex of the heart?
Located at the level of the 5th left intercostal space, about 9 cm from the midline.
What forms the base of the heart?
Primarily by the left atrium (two-thirds) and the right atrium (one-third).
What are the three layers of the heart wall?
- Epicardium * Myocardium * Endocardium
How is the heart divided anatomically?
Into right and left halves, each subdivided into an atrium and a ventricle.
What are the four chambers of the heart?
- Right atrium * Left atrium * Right ventricle * Left ventricle
What is the function of the heart valves?
To maintain unidirectional flow of blood and prevent regurgitation.
What are the two pairs of heart valves?
- Atrioventricular valves * Semilunar valves
Which coronary artery carries 80% of the blood flow to the heart muscle?
Left main coronary artery.
What is the primary function of the sinoatrial node?
To act as the heart’s natural pacemaker.
What is the role of the atrioventricular node?
To slow the electrical current before it passes to the ventricles.
What separates the right and left ventricles on the diaphragmatic surface?
The posterior interventricular groove.
What is the clinical significance of the apex of the heart?
It can be palpated during a physical examination as the point of maximal impulse (PMI).
What is the function of the autonomic nervous system in relation to the heart?
It controls the firing of the sinoatrial node to regulate heart rate.
Fill in the blank: The heart is enclosed within the _______.
[pericardium]
True or False: The left atrium is visible from the sternocostal surface.
False.
What major vessels are attached to the base of the heart?
- Superior vena cava * Ascending aorta * Pulmonary trunk
What is the role of the coronary sinus?
To collect most coronary veins and drain into the right atrium.
What separates the base of the heart from the vertebral column?
- Oblique pericardial sinus * Esophagus * Aorta
What is the notch near the apex called?
Incisura apicis cordis.
What is the orientation of the left surface of the heart?
Upwards, backwards, and to the left.
What part of the nervous system controls the firing of the sinus node?
The autonomic nervous system
It controls blood pressure as well as the heart.
How quickly can the autonomic nervous system increase the heart rate?
Within 3 to 5 seconds
This quick response is crucial during exercise.
What is the primary function of the heart?
To pump blood and oxygen to all organs
This is vital for overall body function.
What can happen if the heart does not receive proper care?
Serious problems can develop in the lining of the arteries
This can lead to plaque formation and heart disease.
What constitutes a heart-healthy diet?
A pattern of food you eat over days, weeks, and months
Consistency in diet is key for heart health.
What effect does regular physical activity have on heart health?
Reduces the risk of having a heart attack or developing heart disease
Exercise is a crucial component of heart health.
What is the immediate benefit of quitting smoking?
Decreases risk of heart attack and stroke almost straight away
Smoking cessation has rapid health benefits.
What two factors are essential to understand and control for heart health?
Cholesterol and blood pressure
Managing these factors is key to preventing heart disease.
Fill in the blank: A heart healthy diet is a pattern of food you eat over _______.
days, weeks, and months
True or False: The autonomic nervous system can take longer than 5 seconds to increase the heart rate.
False
It can increase the heart rate within 3 to 5 seconds.
What are the superior borders of the heart?
Atria and auricles
The superior border consists of the atria and auricles.
What are the inferior borders of the heart?
Right and left ventricles
The inferior border is formed by the right and left ventricles.
Which chambers of the heart are classified as atria?
Left atrium and right atrium
The heart has two atria: the left atrium and the right atrium.
Which chambers of the heart are classified as ventricles?
Left ventricle and right ventricle
The heart consists of two ventricles: the left ventricle and the right ventricle.
What surfaces are associated with the heart?
Sternocostal, diaphragmatic, pulmonary
The heart has three surfaces: sternocostal (right ventricle), diaphragmatic (mostly right ventricle), and pulmonary (cardiac impression).
Which vessels emerge or enter the left atrium?
Pulmonary veins
The pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood to the left atrium.
Which vessels enter the right atrium?
Superior and inferior vena cavae
The superior and inferior vena cavae bring deoxygenated blood to the right atrium.
What is the function of the aorta?
Carries blood from the left ventricle
The aorta distributes oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to the body.
Which vessel carries blood from the right ventricle?
Pulmonary artery
The pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.
What are the four main valves of the heart?
Tricuspid, pulmonary, mitral, aortic
The heart has four main valves: tricuspid, pulmonary, mitral, and aortic.
What mnemonic can be used to remember the heart valves?
Try Pulling My Aorta
This mnemonic helps recall the order of the heart valves.
What branches does the right coronary artery include?
Sinuatrial nodal branch, right marginal branch, atrioventricular nodal branch, posterior interventricular branch
These branches supply blood to specific areas of the heart.
What branches does the left coronary artery include?
Circumflex branch, anterior interventricular branch
These branches are crucial for supplying blood to the left side of the heart.
What is the coronary sinus?
Great, middle and small cardiac veins, left marginal vein, left posterior ventricular veins
The coronary sinus collects deoxygenated blood from the heart muscle itself.
What are the five surfaces of the heart?
Base (posterior), diaphragmatic (inferior), sternocostal (anterior), left pulmonary surface, right pulmonary surface
Each surface has specific anatomical relations.
What forms the right margin of the heart?
The small section of the right atrium that extends between the superior and inferior vena cava
This margin is important for understanding venous drainage.
What structures form the left margin of the heart?
The left ventricle and left auricle
The left margin is crucial for identifying the left heart structures.
What forms the superior margin of the heart in the anterior view?
Both atria and their auricles
The superior margin is visible in anterior heart anatomy.
Which chamber marks the inferior margin of the heart?
Right ventricle
The inferior margin is key to understanding heart orientation.
How many heart chambers are there and what are they?
Four: two atria (right and left) and two ventricles (right and left)
The chambers are essential for blood circulation.
What type of blood does the right atrium and ventricle receive?
Deoxygenated blood
Where does the right atrium and ventricle pump blood?
To the lungs
What type of blood does the left atrium and ventricle receive?
Oxygenated blood
Where does the left atrium and ventricle pump blood?
To the systemic vessels
What is the primary function of the systemic veins in relation to the right atrium?
To deliver deoxygenated blood
The systemic vessels distribute blood throughout which part of the body?
The body
What separates the left and right sides of the heart?
The interatrial and interventricular septa
What are the openings through which blood flows from the atria into the ventricles?
Atrioventricular orifices
What separates the atria from the ventricles?
Atrioventricular septa
How are the atrioventricular orifices controlled?
By heart valves that periodically shut and open
True or False: The interatrial and interventricular septa are not continuous with each other.
False
Fill in the blank: Blood flows from the atria into the ventricles through the _______.
atrioventricular orifices
What is the purpose of the heart valves?
To control the flow of blood through the atrioventricular orifices
What phase of the heart cycle influences the opening and closing of heart valves?
The phase of the heart cycle
What educational resources are mentioned for mastering heart anatomy?
Articles, video tutorials, and a specially designed heart anatomy quiz
What do heart valves separate?
Heart valves separate atria from ventricles and ventricles from great vessels.
How many leaflets do heart valves typically have?
Heart valves incorporate two or three leaflets (cusps).
Where are the leaflets of heart valves located?
Around the atrioventricular orifices and the roots of great vessels.
What do the cusps of the heart valves do?
Allow blood flow in one direction and prevent backflow of blood
The cusps are pushed open to let blood flow and closed to seal orifices.
What prevents backward prolapse of the cusps in the heart?
Chordae tendineae
Also known as heart strings, they connect the papillary muscles to the atrioventricular valves.
What are the two sets of heart valves?
Atrioventricular and semilunar
Atrioventricular valves prevent backflow from the ventricles to the atria.
What is the right atrioventricular valve also known as?
Tricuspid valve
It is located between the right atrium and right ventricle.
How many cusps does the tricuspid valve have?
Three cusps
The cusps are anterior/anterosuperior, septal, and posterior/inferior.
What is the left atrioventricular valve also called?
Mitral valve
It resembles a miter in shape and is located between the left atrium and left ventricle.
How many cusps does the mitral valve have?
Two cusps
The cusps are anterior/aortic and posterior/mural.
What mnemonic can help remember the atrioventricular valves?
LAB RAT
Left Atrium: Bicuspid; Right Atrium: Tricuspid.
Fill in the blank: The left atrioventricular valve is also known as the _______.
Mitral valve
True or False: The chordae tendineae are fibrous cords that connect the atrioventricular valves to the aorta.
False
The chordae tendineae connect the papillary muscles of the ventricular wall to the atrioventricular valves.
What do semilunar valves prevent?
Backflow from the great vessels to the ventricles.
Where is the pulmonary semilunar valve located?
Between the right ventricle and the opening of the pulmonary trunk.
How many semilunar cusps does the pulmonary semilunar valve have?
Three.
Name the three cusps of the pulmonary semilunar valve.
- Anterior/non-adjacent
- Left/left adjacent
- Right/right adjacent
Where is the aortic semilunar valve located?
Between the left ventricle and the opening of the aorta.
How many semilunar cusps does the aortic semilunar valve have?
Three.
Name the three cusps of the aortic semilunar valve.
- Left/left coronary
- Right/right coronary
- Posterior/non-coronary
What is required to successfully auscultate heart valves?
Mastering the surface projections of the heart.
True or False: The semilunar valves allow backflow from the great vessels to the ventricles.
False.
What is the heart cycle?
The periodical contraction and relaxation of the atrial and ventricular myocardium
What is systole?
The period of contraction of the ventricular walls
What is diastole?
The period of ventricular relaxation
What happens when the atria contract?
The ventricles are relaxed
What happens when the ventricles contract?
The atria are relaxed
Where does the right atrium receive deoxygenated blood from?
The superior and inferior venae cavae and coronary sinus
What happens when the right atrium contracts?
It pushes blood through the right atrioventricular valve into the right ventricle
What does the right ventricle do after receiving blood from the right atrium?
Contracts and passes blood into the pulmonary trunk via the pulmonary valve
What occurs in the lungs regarding blood flow?
The blood gets oxygenated
How does oxygenated blood return to the heart?
Enters the left atrium through the pulmonary veins
What happens when the left atrium contracts?
It pushes blood into the left ventricle through the left atrioventricular valve
What does the left ventricle do with oxygenated blood?
Pushes it through the aortic semilunar valve into the aorta
What is the role of the aorta?
Distributes blood throughout the body
How is the heart cycle regulated?
By an autonomic nerve plexus called the cardiac plexus
Fill in the blank: The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the _______.
superior and inferior venae cavae and coronary sinus
True or False: The left ventricle receives blood directly from the right atrium.
False
What are the two coronary arteries that supply the heart with oxygenated blood?
Left and right coronary arteries
From where do the coronary arteries arise?
Aortic sinuses at the beginning of the ascending aorta
What is the primary function of the coronary arteries?
To supply oxygenated blood to the heart
What do the coronary arteries do after arising from the aorta?
They circle the heart and give off several branches
What type of blood do the cardiac veins collect from the heart?
Deoxygenated blood
Name the three types of cardiac veins.
- Middle cardiac vein
- Posterior cardiac vein
- Small cardiac vein
What is the coronary sinus?
A large vessel that delivers deoxygenated blood from the myocardium to the right atrium
True or False: The heart has a low nutrient need due to its constant work.
False
Fill in the blank: The coronary arteries supply _______ blood to the heart.
oxygenated
What is the role of venous blood collected by the cardiac veins?
To return deoxygenated blood to the right atrium
What are the great vessels of the heart?
Aorta, pulmonary artery, pulmonary vein, superior vena cava, inferior vena cava
These vessels are called ‘great’ due to their large size and crucial role in blood circulation.
Why are the vessels called the great vessels?
Because they are large in size and carry blood to and from the heart
The diameter of the ascending aorta is comparable to the size of an American nickel.
What is the diameter of the ascending aorta?
2.1 centimeters
This measurement is similar to the size of an American nickel.
What does the aorta supply to the body?
Oxygenated blood
The aorta gives off branches that distribute blood to the entire body.
Name the major branches of the aorta.
- Brachiocephalic trunk
- Left common carotid artery
- Left subclavian artery
These branches are crucial for supplying blood to the head, neck, and arms.
What does the superior vena cava do?
Receives blood from the upper half of the body
It collects blood via the left and right brachiocephalic veins.
What does the inferior vena cava do?
Receives blood from the lower half of the body
It collects blood through the common iliac veins.
What is Angina Pectoris?
A pain in the chest due to lack of oxygenation of the myocardium
It can be stable or unstable, with stable angina being the most common form.
What causes stable angina?
Severe narrowing of the coronary arteries
Pain is typically felt upon exertion and treated with nitroglycerin.
What is infective endocarditis?
A bacterial or fungal infection of the heart, including the cardiac valves
It can lead to vegetative growths that pose embolization risks.
What are the potential risks associated with infective endocarditis?
Embolization risk if vegetative growths fragment
This can lead to serious complications in various organs.
What is the etiology of congenital heart disease?
Usually has an unknown etiology
Some cases are associated with chromosomal abnormalities.
Which chromosomal abnormalities are commonly associated with congenital heart defects?
- Down syndrome
- Turner syndrome
These can lead to secondary heart defects like atrial and ventricular septal defects.
What are some examples of secondary heart defects in congenital heart disease?
- Atrial septal defects
- Ventricular septal defects
- Patent ductus arteriosus
- Transposition of the great vessels
These defects can arise due to various syndromes linked to chromosomal abnormalities.
