Heart And Cardiovascular System Flashcards
What is the name of the cavity in which the heart is located?
The mediastinal cavity of the thorax
What surrounds the heart and why is positioned there?
The pericardium, it prevents over expansion.
What is the hearts primary function?
To drive blood through the cardiovascular system, delivering oxygenated blood to the tissues and organs, sufficient for their metabolic needs, before it is sent (oxygen depleted) back to the lungs for re-oxygenation.
What separates the left and right sides of the heart?
The cardiac septum
What blood does the right side of the heart work with and where does it send the blood?
Venous, to the lungs for re-oxygenation.
What blood does the left side work with and where does it send the blood?
Arterial, around the body delivering necessary nutrients to the organs.
What is the name of the specialist group of cardiac cells which work as an electrical conduction system?
The sinoatrial node (SAN)
What works with the SAN as a booster to ensure the electrical impulses released, are delivered to the lower areas of the heart?
The atrioventricular node (AVN)
What are the names of the 2 types of blood circulation?
Systemic and pulmonary
What is another name used when referring to the group of cells known as the AVN?
The bundle of HIS
What is the term used for the special myocardium which are designed especially for electric conduction?
The Perkinje fibres
Once the blood leaves the left ventricle where does it travel?
Leaves the LV
Aorta
Around the body
Venae Cavae
RA
RV
Pulmonary Artery
Lungs
Pulmonary veins
LA
How many valves are in the heart?
Name them and their functions.
4
2 x atrioventricular valves
The mitral/bicuspid valve - controls the directional flow of blood between the left and right ventricle
The tricuspid valve - controls the flow between the left and right atrium
2 x semilunar valves
The aortic valve - controls the flow between the LV and the aorta
The pulmonary valve - controls the flow between the RV and the pulmonary artery
What are the terms used to describe the contracting and relaxing of the myocardial walls?
Systole and Diastole.
Explain Systole
The phase where the myocardial walls contract to pump blood out of the heart chambers.
Ventricular systole: the ventricles contract to push blood into the aorta and the pulmonary arteries.
Atrial systole: the atria contract to fill the ventricles with blood.
Explain Diastole
The phase where the myocardial walls relax, allowing the heart chambers to fill with blood.
Ventricular diastole allows the ventricles to fill from the atria, whereas atrial diastole allows the atria to receive blood from the venous system.
Explain the Systemic cycle
The blood travels from the LV through the aortic semilunar valve, perfusing the whole body from the brain down to the feet, with the exception of the lungs
Explain the pulmonary cycle
The blood is ejected from the RV through the pulmonary semilunar valve, along the pulmonary artery and to the lungs for re-oxygenation.