Pharm-Ch. 42 Flashcards
Actin
Thin filament, a component of a sarcomere, or muscle unit.
ADH
Antidiuretic Hormone, released from the posterior pituitary, causes retention of water.
Aldosterone
Hormone released from the adrenal cortex, which causes retention of sodium and water.
Angiotensin
Peptide hormone that causes vasoconstriction, stimulates aldosterone and ADH release; part of the renin-angiotensin system.
Arrhythmia
Disruption in cardiac rate or rhythm.
Arteries
Vessels that take blood away from the heart; muscular, resistance vessels.
Atrium
Top chamber of the heart, receives blood from veins.
Auricle
Appendage on the atria of the heart, holds blood to be pumped out with atrial contraction.
Automaticity
Property of heart cells to generate an action potential without an external stimulus.
Capacitance System
The venous system; distensible, flexible veins that are capable of holding large amounts of blood.
Capillary
Small vessel made up of loosely connected endothelial cells that connect arteries to veins.
Cardiac Cycle
A period of cardiac muscle relaxation (diastole) followed by a period of contraction (systole) in the heart.
Conductivity
Property of heart cells to rapidly conduct an action potential of electrical impulse.
Diastole
Resting phase of the heart; blood is returned to the heart during this phase.
Dysrhythmia
A disruption in cardiac rate or rhythm, also called an arrhythmia.
Ectopic Focus
A shift in the pacemaker of the heart from the sinoatrial node to some other site.
Electocardiogram
An electrical tracing reflecting the conduction of an electrical impulse through the heart muscle; does not reflect mechanical activity.
Myocardium
The muscle of the heart
Myosin
Thick filament with projections, a component of a sarcomere, or muscle unit.
Natriuretic Peptide
A peptide produced by the brain, heart, and vasculature which causes natriuresis, excretion of sodium in the urine; degraded by the enzyme neprilysin.
Oncotic Pressure
The pulling pressure of the plasma proteins, responsible for returning fluid to the vascular system at the capillary level.
Pulse Pressure
The Systolic blood pressure minus the diastolic blood pressure; reflects the filling pressure of the coronary arteries.
Resistance System
The arteries; the muscles of the arteries provide resistance to the flow of blood, leading to control of blood pressure.
Sarcomere
Functional unit of a muscles cell, composed of actin and myosin molecules arrangedin layers to give the unit a striped or striated appearance.