Heart Anatomy And Physiology

Question 1

Atria

Answer 1

Two upper chambers of the heart, in which blood enters the heart

Question 2

Ventricles

Answer 2

Two lower chambers of the heart, in which blood is pumped out of the heart

Question 3

Superior Vena Cava (SVC)

Answer 3

The major vein that pulls in oxygen-poor blood from the upper part of the body into the heart

Question 4

Inferior Vena Cava (IVC)

Answer 4

The major vein that pulls in oxygen-poor blood from the lower part of the body into the heart

Question 5

Aorta

Answer 5

The major artery that pushes oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body

Question 6

AV Valves

Answer 6

Atrioventricular (AV) valves: refers to the two valves (the tricuspid on the right and mitral on the left) that allow one-way blood flow from the atria to the ventricles

Question 7

Semi-lunar Valves

Answer 7

Refers to the two valves (the pulmonary valve on the right and aortic valve on the left) that open to allow blood to flow from the heart to the lungs and body

Question 8

Septum

Answer 8

The dividing wall between the two sides of the heart

Question 9

Function of the right side of the heart

Answer 9

Collects oxygen-poor blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs

Question 10

Function of the left side of the heart

Answer 10

Collects oxygen-rich blood from the lungs and pumps it out to the body

Question 11

Systemic Flow

Answer 11

Blood circulation that carries blood away from the heart to the rest of the body and returns oxygen-poor blood back to the heart

Question 12

Pulmonary Flow

Answer 12

Blood circulation that carries oxygen-poor blood away from the heart to the lungs and returns oxygen-rich blood back to the heart

Question 13

Veins

Answer 13

Blood vessels that carry blood toward the heart

Question 14

Arteries

Answer 14

Blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart

Question 15

Endocardium

Answer 15

The innermost layer of the heart, it is a thin membrane that protects the valves and heart chambers

Question 16

Myocardium

Answer 16

The muscular wall of the heart, also known as the heart muscle

Question 17

Pericardium

Answer 17

The membrane enclosing the heart which consists of two layers, an outer fibrous layer and an inner double layer of serous membrane

Question 18

Systole

Answer 18

The period of the cardiac cycle in which the heart muscle fibers are contracting

Question 19

Diastole

Answer 19

The period of the heart cycle in which the heart chambers are filling and the muscle is at rest

Question 20

Bundle of His

Answer 20

A group of electrical fibers continuous with the AV Node, located on the ventricular side of the tricuspid valve and branching into the right and left bundles

Question 21

Purkinje Fibers/System

Answer 21

Specialized conduction tissue located at the ends of the left and right bundle branches that carries the wave of depolarization to the ventricles. Also known as the tertiary pacemaker of the heart with an intrinsic firing rate of 20-40 BPM

Question 22

Depolarization

Answer 22

In a resting state, heart muscle cells are polarized (negatively charged). During depolarization, their interiors become positive and the muscle contracts

Question 23

Repolarization

Answer 23

The movement of electrolytes, primarily calcium, sodium and potassium, across a cardiac cell membrane, causing the cardiac cell to return to its negatively charged state

Question 24

Sinoatrial Node (SA Node)

Answer 24

A cluster of cells in the upper part of the wall of the right atrium that generates the electrical signals that stimulate the heart to contract. Also known as the heart’s primary pacemaker, with a firing rate of 60-100 BPM

Question 25

Automaticity

Answer 25

The heart's ability to initiate its own electrical impulse, such as in the SA node. Note that automaticity foci refers to other areas that can also generate a signal

Question 26

Atrioventricular node (AV Node)

Answer 26

The only electrical conduction pathway between the atria and the ventricles

Question 27

Action Potential

Answer 27

Movement of electrolytes (positively and negatively charged ions) across the cardiac cell membrane. This action generates voltage changes in the cell

Question 28

AV Conduction

Answer 28

Conduction from the atrium to the ventricles

Question 29

Systole

Answer 29

The phase of the heartbeat when the heart muscle contracts and pumps blood from the chambers into the arteries

Question 30

Diastole

Answer 30

The phase of the cardiac cycle when the heart refills with blood following systole (contraction)

Question 31

Coronary Blood Vessels

Answer 31

The arteries and veins that carry blood to and from the heart muscle

Question 32

Left and Right Bundle Branches

Answer 32

Transport the electrical signal from the Bundle of His down through the interventricular septum, activating the left and right ventricles, respectively

Question 33

Chordae Tendineae

Answer 33

Tendinous strings connecting the papillary muscle to AV valves

Question 34

Right Atrium

Answer 34

Receives oxygen-poor blood from the superior vena cava and the inferior vena cava

Question 35

Left Atrium

Answer 35

Receives oxygen-rich blood from the lungs through the pulmonary veins

Question 36

Left Ventricle

Answer 36

Receives blood from the left atrium

Question 37

Right Ventricle

Answer 37

Receives blood from the right atrium

Question 38

Pulmonary Artery

Answer 38

Receives blood from the right ventricle and carries it to the lungs for oxygenation

Question 39

Papillary Muscles

Answer 39

Arise from the inner walls of the ventricles and attach to chordae tendineae

Question 40

Bachmann's Bundle

Answer 40

Lies along the inner wall of the left atrium, spreading the electrical signal throughout the left atrium

Question 41

Inter-nodal Tracts

Answer 41

Carries the electrical impulse across the right atrium through the anterior, middle, and posterior tracts