Introduction to the Heart Flashcards
What are the 6 major components of the heart?
aorta
vena cava
left and right atria
left and right ventricles
pulmonary artery
pulmonary vein
Describe the blood flow in the heart.
Blood enters the right atrium of the heart through the vena cava and then passes through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle. It is then ejected through the pulmonary valve and the pulmonary artery into the lungs.
Blood enters the left atrium of the heart through the pulmonary vein and then passes through the mitral valve into the left ventricle. It is then ejected through the aortic valve and the aorta into the body.
vena cava-> right atrium-> right ventricle-> pulmonary artery-> lungs
pulmonary veins-> left atrium-> left ventricle-> aorta-> body
What are the valves in the heart and what they in between.
Tricuspid
(right atrium-> right ventricle)
Bicuspid/ mitral
(left atrium-> left ventricle)
Aortic
(left ventricle-> aorta)
Pulmonary
(right ventricle-> pulmonary artery)
Name the valves A-D.
a= tricuspid
b= bicuspid/ mitral
c= aortic
d= pulmonary
Describe the electrical activity of the heart.
- The primary pacemaker signal is generated at the Sinoatrial node (SAN)
- The electrical signal is transmitted across the myocardium of the atrium along the internodal tracts.
- The ‘slowing down’ of the electrical signal at the AV node corresponds to the PR interval on a surface ECG trace.
- Transmission of the electrical signal along the purkinje fibres causes contraction of the ventricles.
What does an ECG trace do?
measures the movement of electricity in the heart
How does blood flow around the heart?
coronary arteries and veins
Name A-C.
a= circumflex artery
b= right coronary artery
c= left anterior descending
they are all coronary arteries
Where do the veins surrounding the heart tend to be?
towards the back of the heart
What are the veins surrounding the heart?
coronary sinus
great cardiac vein
middle cardiac vein
