Intro To CVS Anatomy Flashcards
Why do larger organisms need a Cardiovascular system?
SA:V to small to sufficiently supply all of the organism with nutrients directly by simple diffusion from the environment
What is the structure of the capillaries?
Single layer of endothelial cells
Surrounded by basal lamina
What takes place at the capillaries?
Diffusion of nutrients and waste
Exchange of materials between blood and surrounding tissues
What is the purpose of the cardiovascular system?
Supplies O2 and nutrients to tissues via capillaries
Removes wastes products from tissues
What is the advantage of the alveoli having a rich blood supply?
Minimal diffusion distance between capillaries and alveoli for gas exchange
What is the name of the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with oxygen?
Coronary arteries
Why does the heart need its own supply of oxygenated blood when both the left atrium and ventricle receive oxygenated blood?
Diffusion from this blood to heart muscle is too slow
How many blood vessels are connected to the heart?
8
How many blood vessels are connected to the heart?
8
How many of the 8 blood vessels connecting to the heart are arteries and how many are veins?
2 arteries
6 veins
What are the 2 arteries connected to the heart called?
Pulmonary artery/trunk
Aorta
What are the names of the 6 veins connected to the heart?
Superior vena cava (SVC)
Inferior vena cava (IVC)
Right pulmonary veins (Superior and Inferior)
Left pulmonary veins (Superior and Inferior)
Where does the pulmonary artery/trunk lead from and to?
From the right ventricle to the lungs
(Supplies deoxygenated blood to lungs)
Where does the aorta lead from and to?
From the left ventricle to the rest of the body
Where does the right superior and inferior pulmonary veins lead from and to?
The upper part of the right lung and lower part of the right lung to the left atrium
Where does the left superior and inferior pulmonary vein lead from and to?
From the upper part of the left lung and lower part of the left lung to the left atrium
What is the septum?
The wall separating the right and left side of the heart
How many valves does the heart have?
4
What are the 4 valves in the heart called?
Tricuspid valve
Pulmonic valve
Mitral valve (Bicuspid valve)
Aortic valve
Where is the Tricuspid valve located?
Between the right atria and the right ventricle
Where is the Pulmonic valve located?
Between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery
Where is the mitral/bicuspid valve located?
Between the left atrium and the left ventricle
What muscles control the opening and closing of the tricuspid and mitral valve?
Papillary muscles
Trabeculations (muscular ridges on inside of ventricles)
What is the fibrous connective tissue which connects the papillary muscles to the tricuspid and mitral valves?
Cordinae tendineae
Briefly what is the structure of the Aorta?
Arch of aorta (curve /horseshoe with ascending aorta and descending aorta)
Other arteries branch directly of the arch of aorta
Where do the coronary arteries originate from?
First branches of the Aorta (Ascending aorta)
How many coronary arteries are there?
3
What are the names of the 3 coronary arteries?
Right coronary artery -RHS
Left Anterior Descending artery - LHS
Circumflex artery - LHS
What 2 branches of artery does the left coronary artery branch into?
Left Anterior Descending Artery (LAD)
Circumflex artery
What is the Atrioventricular groove?
The horizontal groove that shows the division between the atria and the ventricles
What are the oracles?
Ear like projections/flaps from the atria that hug round the 2 great vessels
When you pull back the oracles (left and right), what are exposed?
Coronary arteries
Where does the Right coronary artery run to from where it originates?
Follows atrioventricular groove around giving rise to a right marginal branch in the process.
Follows atrioventricular groove round POSTERIORLY
Gives of the Posterior Inter-ventricular branch
Where does the posterior interventricular branch of the right coronary artery run down?
Down the posterior of the septum between the 2 ventricles
Where does the Left Anterior Descending coronary artery form from and where does it run down?
It forms from almost immediate branching of the left coronary artery, runs down the anterior septum
What is another name for the Left Anterior Descending coronary artery?
Anterior inter-ventricular artery
Where does the circumflex artery come from and where does it lead to?
Branches later on from the left coronary artery
Follows the atrioventricular groove anteriorly (So opposite to the right coronary artery which goes posteriorly)
What is the pericardium?
A double walled fibro-serous sac that encloses the heart
What structure is fused inferior to the pericardium?
Diaphragm
What is the function of the pericardium?
To protect the heart
Prevents excessive movement and filling of the heart
What are the nerve called that run over the pericardium which innervate the pericardium and the diaphragm?
Left and right Phrenic Nerves
How does the inner serous pericardial membrane appear?
Smooth, glistening and shiny
Can the 2 pericardial membranes be separated?
No
What are the 2 inner serous layers of pericardium?
Parietal pericardium
Visceral pericardium
What is the parietal pericardium?
The serous layer which is adhered to the inner fibrous pericardial layer
What is the visceral pericardium?
The serous layer adhered to the external wall of the heart
What can visceral pericardium also be referred to as?
Epicardium
How many layers are there to the heart?
3
What are the 3 layers of the heart called?
Epicardium (Visceral pericardium)
Myocardium
Endocardium
What is the filling of fluid in the pericardial sac called?
Pericardial effusion
What condition can Pericardial effusion cause?
Pericardial tamponade
What is Pericardial tamponade?
The fluid that has built up in the pericardial sac puts pressure on the ventricles preventing them from filling up properly reducing stroke volume reducing oxygen transport around the body
How is the heart orientated in the body?
In development heart twists to the left
Left side is more posterior and the right side is more anterior
Imagine your head is the heart with the apex being your chin. Look northwest, your right side is more anterior compared to your left side
What is a sinus?
A naturally forming space
What is the transverse pericardial sinus?
The space behind the aorta and the pulmonary trunk formed by the embryological folding of the heart
Where is the transverse pericardial sinus located?
Posterior to the aorta and pulmonary trunk
Where is the oblique sinus located?
Posterior to the heart in the pericardial sac
How do veins ensure blood flows towards the heart at low pressure?
Valves preventing back flow
Compression/squeezing of deep veins by muscle tone and skeletal muscles
What is the role of the tunic intima in both veins and arteries?
Stop blood sticking to vessel lining
What are the major differences between the structure of arteries and veins?
Tunica media in arteries much thicker with smooth muscle and elastic fibres
Arteries much narrower lumen
Arteries no valves
What is the function of the serous membrane/epicardium of the heart?
Smooth movement of heart, low friction
What is the function of the myocardium of the heart?
Cardiac muscle cells responsible for heart contractions
What is the function of the endocardium of the heart?
The smooth inner surfaces of the heart chambers stopping blood sticking to it
What is pericarditis?
Inflammation of the pericardium
Usually due to infection
What is meant by right coronary artery dominance or non dominance?
If its dominant, its where the posterior descending artery originates from supplying the left ventricle
If non dominant, the left circumflex artery supplies this
How might pericardial effusion present and why?
Pressure on the phrenic nerves may cause:
-shortness of breath dysponoea (diaphragm innervation affected
-shoulder tip pain (where phrenic nerve runs past here)
What imaging technique can be used to view the heart?
X-rays
CT
Cardiac MRI (CMRI)
Ultrasound
Nuclear
What is angiography?
Imaging blood vessels
How do the blood vessels appear in MRI contrast enhanced angiography?
White
What is an Embolus?
When a clot forms in a vein and travels to the heart
In CT scans how do Cardiac emboluses appear?
Dark patches
Where is the aorta located in a CT image in the Thoracic cavity?
Centre vessel of heart
What is Tranoesophogeal Echocardiography?
Patient swallows probe which sits in oesophagus posterior to the heart behind the oblique sinus emitting ultrasound waves
What is tranoesophohpgeal Echocardiograhpy good for viewing?
Heart valves
What is an Epstein anomaly?
Tricuspid valve closer to the apex of the heart than it should be
