Learning Objectives: Cardiovascular System

Question 1

What is the function of the cardiovascular system?

Answer 1

The functions are to send oxygenated blood to the body and to receive deoxygenated blood to send to the lungs for reoxygenated

Question 2

What are the two components of the cardiovascular system?

Answer 2

The 2 components of the system are the heart (pump) and the blood vessels and tubes (transport system)

Question 3

Describe systematic circulation

Answer 3

Moving blood to the system (body); blood moves from left lobe to body, returns from body to right lobe.Systemic arteries move oxygenated blood away from the heart and
systemic veins move deoxygenated blood to the heart.

Question 4

Describe pulmonary circulation

Answer 4

Moving blood to the lungs for oxygenation, then back to the heart to be moved around the body (right lobe to lung, lung to left lobe).
Pulmonary artery moves deoxygenated blood away from the heart, to the lungs for oxygenation, the pulmonary vein moves oxygenated blood to the heart from the lungs to the be pumped to the body

Question 5

Describe the chambers and major blood vessels of the heart.

Answer 5

Superior vena cava-(the vein that brings blood into the heart from above)
inferior vena cava-(the vein that brings blood into the heart from below)
right atrium-(The chamber superior the right ventricle, Receives deoxygenated blood from the venae cavae)
right ventricle-(the chamber inferior to the right atrium, pumps blood received from the right atrium into the pulmonary artery)
pulmonary artery-(the vessel anterior to the other structures of the heart, the artery that conveys blood from the heart to the lungs for oxygenation)
pulmonary vein-(vessel on the right and left lateral sides of the heart, a vein carrying oxygenated blood from the lung to the left atrium)
left atrium-(the chamber superior to the left ventricle. The left atrium receives oxygenated blood via the pulmonary vein)
left ventricle-(the chamber inferior to the left ventricle receives blood from the left atrium and pumps it into the aorta)
aorta-(The vessel superior to the other structure of the heart, the main artery of the body, from which all others derive (it sends oxygenated blood to the rest of the arteries for circulation))

Question 6

What are the structural and functional differences between arteries, veins, and capillaries?

Answer 6

Arteries-(Transport blood away from the heart. Carry oxygenated blood (except for pulmonary artery). Do not have valves, have a thicker lumen than veins. Have higher pressure than veins)
Veins-(Have valves (to prevent backflow of blood) and a thinner lumen than arteries. Transport blood to the heart. Have lower pressure than arteries. Carry deoxygenated blood (except for pulmonary vein))
Capillaries-(very thin (1 cell thick). Transport gases, nutrients, and water)

Question 7

What is the normal range for blood pressure according to the American Heart Association

Answer 7

A normal heart rate is one in which the systolic pressure is less than 120 mmHg and the diastolic pressure is less than 80 mmHG

Question 8

What 5 things can chronic hypertension lead to?

Answer 8

Chronic hypertension can lead to stroke, heart failure, vision loss, erectile dysfunction, heart attack, and kidney disease

Question 9

What is atherosclerosis?

Answer 9

atherosclerosis is the abnormal condition of fatty plaque hardening in arteries

Question 10

What is a thrombus? How does it develop?

Answer 10

a thrombus is a blood clot. They develop when a rupture occurs due to a plaque build up in a region in a vessel. This causes the immune system to respond by creating a blood clot around the rupture.

Question 11

What is an embolus? Why is an embolus harmful?

Answer 11

An embolus is a thrombus that has become dislodged from its place of origin and is traveling throughout the body’s vessels. They are harmful because they have the ability to become lodged in vessels and block blood flow.

Question 12

What are coronary arteries? What is coronary heart (artery) disease?

Answer 12

Coronary arteries are the arteries that supply blood to the muscle of the heart. Coronary heart disease is atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries

Question 13

What is angina? What causes it?

Answer 13

Angina is chest pain caused by insufficient oxygen supply to the heart muscle

Question 14

What is a myocardial infarction? What causes it?

Answer 14

Myocardial infarction is the death of an area of heart tissue due to lack of oxygen from a blocked vessel

Question 15

What is a stroke? What are the two different types of strokes?

Answer 15

A stroke is a cerebrovascular accident (CVA); damage to brain tissue due to lack of blood flow
The two types of stroke
1. Hemorrhagic: Caused by the rupture of a weakened/dilated blood vessel (aneurysm)
2. ischemic: An area of tissue not getting enough oxygen/nutrients due to lack of blood flow

Question 16

How does an angioplasty help treat atherosclerosis

Answer 16

Angioplasty is the surgical repair of a vessel. A balloon is inserted into an artery and inflated, helping treat atherosclerosis by allowing blood flow and dislodging any plaque in the affected area

Question 17

What are the two different types of valves in the heart? What chambers or blood vessels are they between?

Answer 17

1. Semilunar valves
   prevent blood flowing backwards in the heart
   One is located between the right ventricle and pulmonary trunk
   The other SA valve is located between the left ventricle and aorta
2. atrioventricular valves
   They are located in both lobes of the heart
   They separate the right atrium from the right ventricle and the left atrium from the left ventricle

Question 18

What are the two phases of the heart beat? Is the heart muscle contracted or relaxed in each of these phases? Are the valves open or closed in each of these phases?

Answer 18

Diastole
The heart is relaxed and the ventricles are filling with blood
the AV valves are open and the SA valves are closed
Systole
The heart is contracted and blood moves from the ventricles to either the aorta of pulmonary artery
The AV valves are closed, the SA valves are open

Question 19

What structure makes the first (lub) heart sound? What structure makes the second (dub) heart sound?

Answer 19

The lub sound is made by the closing of the AV valves at the beginning of systole
The dub sound is made by the closing of the SA valves at the end of systole

Question 20

What is a heart murmur? What does a heart murmur indicate?

Answer 20

Heart murmur is an abnormal heart sound made by turbulent blood flow through the heart.
It indicates an anatomical variation in the heart, and it may also indicate a heart problem. Most are harmless however

Question 21

What does the heart conduction system do? What type of cells make up the heart conduction system?

Answer 21

The heart conduction system is made up of specialized cardiac muscle cells that generate/conduct electrical impulses that stimulate heart contraction

Question 22

What structure is the “pacemaker” of the heart?

Answer 22

The pacemaker of the heart is the Sinoatrial node

Question 23

What is an arrhythmia? What is the difference between bradycardia and tachycardia?

Answer 23

arrhythmia is an abnormal rhythm of the heart.
bradycardia: heart condition slow (slow heart rate)
tachycardia: heart condition fast (fast heart rate)

Question 24

What is a cardiac arrest? What might cause a cardiac arrest?

Answer 24

Cardiac arrest is when the heart stops beating. It may be caused by arrhythmia

Question 25

Explain the difference between cardiac arrest and a heart attack.

Answer 25

Cardiac arrests are an electrical issue. (abnormal electrical activity causes the heart to stop). Heart attacks are a circulatory issue (a blockage of blood causes low oxygen in a region of the heart, causing that region to die/become damaged)

Question 26

What is the difference between an echocardiogram and an electrocardiogram?

Answer 26

echocardiogram: record of the repeated sounds of the heart
help visualize the physical anatomy of the heart so things like valve behavior and possible chamber narrowing can be examined
electrocardiogram: record of the electrical activity of the heart as line tracing
Can help determine if the heart’s conduction system is behaving normally or not

Question 27

What is congestive heart failure? What might cause congestive heart failure? How can you tell if your patient is suffering from congestive heart failure?

Answer 27

Congestive heart failure is a condition in which the heart is too weak to pump efficiently. It may be caused by untreated hypertension. In a patient CHD may manifest as leg/ankle/abdominal swelling, coughing and shortness of breath (due to fluid build up around the lungs), a weak heartbeat, and fatigue.